Video Game Environment

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure provides various novel concepts to a video game environment. Video game environments that include a method for controlling the quantity of raw materials in and between games, where player characters invent items by creating blueprints that are registered to a virtual patent office and used by other player characters, that include methods for digital rights management, that include a method for providing inter and intra game exchanges between games, and that provide for the Initial Public Offering of game environments on an Inter Game Environment exchange are described.

BACKGROUND

Video games which are accessible to multiple players via a server arewell known. For example, hundreds of thousands of players access gamesknown as massive multi player online games (MMOGs). Players of thesegames customarily access a game repeatedly (for durations typicallyranging from a few minutes to several days) over given period of time,which may be days, weeks, months or even years. The games are oftenconstructed such that players pay a periodic subscription price (e.g.,$15 per month) rather than, or in addition to, paying a one timepurchase price for the game. Often, though not necessarily, these gameshave no ultimate “winner” or “winning goal,” but instead attempt tocreate an enjoyable playing environment and a strong player community.

It would be advantageous to provide improved methods and apparatus forincreasing the enjoyment and/or longevity of video games.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 provides an exemplary system 100 according to one embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 2 provides an exemplary system 200 according to one embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 3 provides an exemplary system 300 according to one embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 4 provides an exemplary system 400 according to one embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 5 provides an exemplary system 500 according to one embodiment ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Definitions

Real Cash or Real Currency-money that has a real world value.

Virtual Cash or Virtual Currency-money that has a value in a virtualenvironment

Character Credit Score—the score given to a player based on his virtualfinancial behavior in a virtual environment.

Virtual Raw Material—items in a virtual environment that are inherent tothe environment and that exist without virtual labor being applied tothem. Virtual Raw Materials may include objects made up of two or moreother Virtual Raw Materials.

Virtual Buy Order—an order to purchase a virtual item or attribute. Theorder can be placed on an inter or intra game environment exchange.

Virtual Sell Order—an order to sell a virtual item or attribute. Theorder can be placed on an inter or intra game environment exchange.

Virtual Bid Price—the price for a virtual item or attribute that isspecified by a virtual buy order.

Virtual Ask Price—the price for a virtual item or attribute that isspecified by a virtual sell order.

Virtual Blueprints—virtual designs for virtual items that includeinformation such as dimensions, materials, skills, and other virtualitems or attributes that are required to assemble a virtual itemspecified by the blueprint. Virtual Blueprints may define virtualobjects, and/or business methods, business processes, software, games,and/or definitions to create any or all of the foregoing.

Virtual Blueprint Patent—shall mean a virtual patent number assigned toa virtual blueprint

Digital Image—a virtual image that is static or moving that can be seenin a virtual game environment

Digital Song—a song that can be purchased and played in a gameenvironment

Digital Copyright—a proof of ownership that is attached to a digitalimage or digital song in a game environment

In Game Patent Office—an entity in a game environment where blueprintsand/or copyrights can be registered to indicate the inventor of theblueprint or copyright

Digital Patent—the registration of a virtual blueprint with a virtualpatent office

Virtual IPO—the registering of a virtual asset on a virtual exchangewhereby shares of the asset can be traded between characters and players

Virtual Business—an asset in a game environment that produces virtualrevenues and potentially virtual profits.

Virtual Stock—a unit of ownership of a virtual business, asset, or othergame attribute

The term “product” means any machine, manufacture and/or composition ofmatter, unless expressly specified otherwise.

The term “process” means any process, algorithm, method or the like,unless expressly specified otherwise.

Each process (whether called a method, algorithm or otherwise)inherently includes one or more steps, and therefore all references to a“step” or “steps” of a process have an inherent antecedent basis in themere recitation of the term ‘process’ or a like term. Accordingly, anyreference in a claim to a ‘step’ or ‘steps’ of a process has sufficientantecedent basis.

The terms “an embodiment”, “embodiment”, “embodiments”, “theembodiment”, “the embodiments”, “one or more embodiments”, “someembodiments”, “certain embodiments”, “one embodiment”, “anotherembodiment” and the like mean “one or more (but not all) embodiments ofthe disclosed invention(s)”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

The term “variation” of an invention means an embodiment of theinvention, unless expressly specified otherwise.

A reference to “another embodiment” in describing an embodiment does notimply that the referenced embodiment is mutually exclusive with anotherembodiment (e.g., an embodiment described before the referencedembodiment), unless expressly specified otherwise.

The terms “including”, “comprising” and variations thereof mean“including but not limited to”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

The term “consisting of” and variations thereof mean “including andlimited to”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

The terms “a”, “an” and “the” mean “one or more”, unless expresslyspecified otherwise.

The term “plurality” means “two or more”, unless expressly specifiedotherwise.

The term “herein” means “in this patent application, including anythingwhich may be incorporated by reference”, unless expressly specifiedotherwise.

The phrase “at least one of”, when such phrase modifies a plurality ofthings (such as an enumerated list of things) means any combination ofone or more of those things, unless expressly specified otherwise. Forexample, the phrase “at least one of a widget, a car and a wheel” meanseither (i) a widget, (ii) a car, (iii) a wheel, (iv) a widget and a car,(v) a widget and a wheel, (vi) a car and a wheel, or (vii) a widget, acar and a wheel.

Numerical terms such as “one”, “two”, etc. when used as cardinal numbersto indicate quantity of something (e.g., one widget, two widgets), meanthe quantity indicated by that numerical term, but do not mean at leastthe quantity indicated by that numerical term. For example, the phrase“one widget” does not mean “at least one widget”, and therefore thephrase “one widget” does not cover, e.g., two widgets.

The phrase “based on” does not mean “based only on”, unless expresslyspecified otherwise. In other words, the phrase “based on” describesboth “based only on” and “based at least on”.

The term “represent” and like terms are not exclusive, unless expresslyspecified otherwise. For example, the term “represents” do not mean“represents only”, unless expressly specified otherwise. In other words,the phrase “the data represents a credit card number” describes both“the data represents only a credit card number” and “the data representsa credit card number and the data also represents something else”.

The term “whereby” is used herein only to precede a clause or other setof words that express only the intended result, objective or consequenceof something that is previously and explicitly recited. Thus, when theterm “whereby” is used in a claim, the clause or other words that theterm “whereby” modifies do not establish specific further limitations ofthe claim or otherwise restricts the meaning or scope of the claim.

The term “e.g.” and like terms means “for example”, and thus does notlimit the term or phrase it explains. For example, in the sentence “thecomputer sends data (e.g., instructions, a data structure) over theInternet”, the term “e.g.” explains that “instructions” are an exampleof “data” that the computer may send over the Internet, and alsoexplains that “a data structure” is an example of “data” that thecomputer may send over the Internet. However, both “instructions” and “adata structure” are merely examples of “data”, and other things besides“instructions” and “a data structure” can be “data”.

The term “determining” and grammatical variants thereof (e.g., todetermine a price, determining a value, determine an object which meetsa certain criterion) is used in an extremely broad sense. The term“determining” encompasses a wide variety of actions and therefore“determining” can include calculating, computing, processing, deriving,investigating, looking up (e.g., looking up in a table, a database oranother data structure), ascertaining and the like. Also, “determining”can include receiving (e.g., receiving information), accessing (e.g.,accessing data in a memory) and the like. Also, “determining” caninclude resolving, selecting, choosing, establishing, and the like.

The term “determining” does not imply certainty or absolute precision,and therefore “determining” can include estimating, predicting, guessingand the like.

The term “determining” does not imply that mathematical processing mustbe performed, and does not imply that numerical methods must be used,and does not imply that an algorithm or process is used.

The term “determining” does not imply that any particular device must beused. For example, a computer need not necessarily perform thedetermining.

It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that thevarious processes described herein may be implemented by, e.g.,appropriately programmed general purpose computers and computingdevices. Typically a processor (e.g., one or more microprocessors, oneor more microcontrollers, one or more digital signal processors) willreceive instructions (e.g., from a memory or like device), and executethose instructions, thereby performing one or more processes defined bythose instructions.

A “processor” means one or more microprocessors, central processingunits (CPUs), computing devices, microcontrollers, digital signalprocessors, or like devices or any combination thereof.

Thus a description of a process is likewise a description of anapparatus for performing the process. The apparatus can include, e.g., aprocessor and those input devices and output devices that areappropriate to perform the method.

Further, programs that implement such methods (as well as other types ofdata) may be stored and transmitted using a variety of media (e.g.,computer readable media) in a number of manners. In some embodiments,hard-wired circuitry or custom hardware may be used in place of, or incombination with, some or all of the software instructions that canimplement the processes of various embodiments. Thus, variouscombinations of hardware and software may be used instead of softwareonly.

The term “computer-readable medium” refers to any medium thatparticipates in providing data (e.g., instructions, data structures)which may be read by a computer, a processor or a like device. Such amedium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatilemedia, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile mediainclude, for example, optical or magnetic disks and other persistentmemory. Volatile media include dynamic random access memory (DRAM),which typically constitutes the main memory. Transmission media includecoaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires thatcomprise a system bus coupled to the processor. Transmission media mayinclude or convey acoustic waves, light waves and electromagneticemissions, such as those generated during radio frequency (RF) andinfrared (IR) data communications. Common forms of computer-readablemedia include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk,magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any otheroptical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium withpatterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, any othermemory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave as described hereinafter, orany other medium from which a computer can read.

Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carryingdata (e.g. sequences of instructions) to a processor. For example, datamay be (i) delivered from RAM to a processor; (ii) carried over awireless transmission medium; (iii) formatted and/or transmittedaccording to numerous formats, standards or protocols, such as Ethernet(or IEEE 802.3), SAP, ATP, Bluetooth™, and TCP/IP, TDMA, CDMA, and 3G;and/or (iv) encrypted to ensure privacy or prevent fraud in any of avariety of ways well known in the art.

Thus a description of a process is likewise a description of acomputer-readable medium storing a program for performing the process.The computer-readable medium can store (in any appropriate format) thoseprogram elements which are appropriate to perform the method.

Just as the description of various steps in a process does not indicatethat all the described steps are required, embodiments of an apparatusinclude a computer/computing device operable to perform some (but notnecessarily all) of the described process.

Likewise, just as the description of various steps in a process does notindicate that all the described steps are required, embodiments of acomputer-readable medium storing a program or data structure include acomputer-readable medium storing a program that, when executed, cancause a processor to perform some (but not necessarily all) of thedescribed process.

Where databases are described, it will be understood by one of ordinaryskill in the art that (i) alternative database structures to thosedescribed may be readily employed, and (ii) other memory structuresbesides databases may be readily employed. Any illustrations ordescriptions of any sample databases presented herein are illustrativearrangements for stored representations of information. Any number ofother arrangements may be employed besides those suggested by, e.g.,tables illustrated in drawings or elsewhere. Similarly, any illustratedentries of the databases represent exemplary information only; one ofordinary skill in the art will understand that the number and content ofthe entries can be different from those described herein. Further,despite any depiction of the databases as tables, other formats(including relational databases, object-based models and/or distributeddatabases) are well known and could be used to store and manipulate thedata types described herein. Likewise, object methods or behaviors of adatabase can be used to implement various processes, such as thedescribed herein. In addition, the databases may, in a known manner, bestored locally or remotely from any device(s) which access data in thedatabase.

Various embodiments can be configured to work in a network environmentincluding a computer that is in communication (e.g., via acommunications network) with one or more devices. The computer maycommunicate with the devices directly or indirectly, via any wired orwireless medium (e.g. the Internet, LAN, WAN or Ethernet, Token Ring, atelephone line, a cable line, a radio channel, an optical communicationsline, commercial on-line service providers, bulletin board systems, asatellite communications link, a combination of any of the above). Eachof the devices may themselves comprise computers or other computingdevices, such as those based on the Intel® Pentium® or Centrino™processor, that are adapted to communicate with the computer. Any numberand type of devices may be in communication with the computer.

In an embodiment, a server computer or centralized authority may not benecessary or desirable. For example, the present invention may, in anembodiment, be practiced on one or more devices without a centralauthority. In such an embodiment, any functions described herein asperformed by the server computer or data described as stored on theserver computer may instead be performed by or stored on one or moresuch devices.

DESCRIPTION

According to one embodiment, the present invention provides a method andsystem for controlling the quantity of raw materials in and betweenmassive multi online player video game environments. Accordingly, asystem is disclosed to apply a set number of raw material points in agame environment. The game server or a set of player characters canallocate the raw material points to specific raw materials, and theseare the materials that are available for gathering by player charactersin the game environment.

According to one embodiment, once a raw material has been gathered, itcan be used to build game attributes that can be sold on exchanges inthe game environment and between other game environments. Raw Materialscan include, but are not limited to:

-   -   1. Herbs    -   2. Minerals    -   3. Metal Ore    -   4. Building Supplies    -   5. Water    -   6. Food types    -   7. Land    -   8. Wood    -   9. Oil

According to one embodiment, raw materials can be allocated in the firststage or era of a game environment and placed in geographic areas of thegame environment by player characters. Accordingly, these playercharacters may act as gods of the game environment.

Alternatively or additionally, different types of raw materials orcertain quantities of certain raw materials can be allocated in the gameenvironment during certain eras of the game. For example, 1000 units“Euranium” currency may become available in the “Nuclear Age” era of agame.

According to another embodiment, the number of resources available in agame environment can be based on any one or more game play variablesincluding, but not limited to, the number of player characters in thatgame environment, the pace of game play, the relative price of objectsconstructed by one or more resources, and/or the relative demand for oneor more resources. Alternatively, the number of resources available maybe unlimited but purchased using real and/or virtual currency. Theamount of initial and/or subsequent resources may also be determinedbased upon the overall effect of greater abundance or scarcity of suchresources. For example, if the lack of a certain resource is determinedto unfairly benefit one player or group of players over another playeror group of players, then additional resources may be made availablegenerally (i.e., to all players on an equal or unequal basis) and/oronly to those at the disadvantage, and/or if newer players join a gamethat has been in progress for some time, and certain resources have beeneither depleted or are scarce or are higher priced, then the newerplayer(s) may be granted such items, and/or provided the resources at alower price and/or may be distributed randomly or otherwise in the gamespace but only accessible to such new players (either randomly or viaperforming some skill, and/or through searching or exploring territoryand/or buying land that contains such resources (whether known orunknown), etc. The number of resources available per player character orother game play variable can increase sequentially or exponentially orin any other manner including pre-established supply levels for eachera, game, or multiple games, or by voting from game owners or members,and/or by majority or supermajority voting, or by purchasing resourcesfrom other games that practice an embodiment of the present invention,or through the recovery of part or all of the raw materials throughrecycling “older” goods created during game play.

According to yet another embodiment, attributes and resources betweengame servers may be uniform to one another or may be exchanged usingmultipliers to recognize differences in supply or demand and/or exchangerates in or between one, two or more game environments. Enablement ofsuch transfers and/or communications may be provided via any networkcommunications and/or using technology. They are either identical likeUCC or in ratios like 200 lumber in a first game may be worth 230 lumberin a different, second game. The size of player characters and gameattributes must also be converted or uniform. Conversion rates may beestablished or modified through open markets and/or controlled by usergroups or any other duly authorized body established for such purposed,which may be or include any one or more of: a) the game manufacturer(s),b) the owners of such exchanges, c) the owners of the systems andapplications that provide or support such exchanges, d) one or moreplayers or groups of players established by the players and/or any ofthe other groups or authorities mentioned herein, e) by an automatedmethod defined by any one or more of the foregoing, and/or f) anycombination of these.

According to another embodiment, inter-game trading of attributes mayentail the amount of labor required to create an attribute in oneenvironment vs. another. For example, a game attribute coming from afirst environment may be converted into a game attribute in a secondenvironment by multiplying the value of the game attribute in the firstenvironment by a conversion multiplier that reflects the difference inthe labor (and/or other factors) required to build the game attribute inthe first environment vs. the second environment. Alternatively oradditionally, the multiplier may take into account any differences insupply, availability, ease or cost of acquisition, or the like, of theresources and/or the prevailing exchange rates of real or virtualcurrency. Some game environments may be configured to produce items moreoptimally. These game environments may receive a premium on the exchangein that their labor is more efficient in that game environment than onother game servers. Alternatively, environments that produce such itemsmore optimally, may be penalized or a tariff may be imposed to create amore fair exchange between or among such game environments.

According to yet another embodiment, skills can also be allocated in thesame way that resources are selected and placed in a game environment byplayer characters. Each game environment may have a certain number ofskill points that can be attributed to server or player defined trades.In this manner, player characters on one game server can become expertin certain types of trades up to the total skill level specified by thesettings of that game environment or server and/or another sever withwhich they may interact. Skills may optionally be introduced or expandedthrough education. If certain skills are in high demand, players maychoose to pay for an education to obtain these skills. Skills may alsobe acquired by any one or more of the following including by chance,purchased, learned or passed down from other players, (e.g., from aparent) or acquired through game play, for example, by achieving acertain level or by winning a conflict, war, battle, eating youropponent, casting a spell, etc., and/or by solving a puzzle.

According to another embodiment, non-player characters (NPCs) can bespecified, acquired or purchased by player characters. For example, NPCscould serve as drone laborors to collect or develop raw materials and/orto assemble or recycle items in a game environment. Each game server canhave a fixed or flexible total number of NPCs, and player characters candetermine the max quantity of each NPC that can exist in the gameenvironment. In the case that an NPC is owned or otherwise controlled bya player or groups of players, the owning player or players may berequired to pay an additional fee for any resources or skills developedand/or acquired by such NPCs. Alternatively or additionally, rates ofacquisition of resources and/or skills by NPCs may affect the rateand/or cost with which other players can acquire such resources and/orskills.

In an embodiment, items may not be built by player characters in a gameunless they have purchased a permit to build the item specified. Thepermit contains a maximum quantity that can be built and what materialscan be used to build the item. Every item that is built may need to beregistered with a governing body within the game such as a government orother party that controls the territory where the item is being built.Permits can be obtained from the game server or from another playercharacter who has the right to issue permits. A fee can be charged for apermit. According to some embodiments, a bribe can be paid to the playercharacter to issue permits. Each government can post the rates forpermits. Based on those rates, player characters can decide theircitizenship. Rates for bribes may be set or established by the game, allplayers, or the government official, who may decide to set the ratebased upon the risk associated with taking the bribe, i.e., likelihoodof being caught and the cost of the punishment for accepting bribes.

According to some embodiments, items built without a permit are notregistered and cannot be sold on exchanges. Alternatively, a blackmarket can exist to buy and sell items that are made without permits.

In an embodiment, a master server may control a finite set of resourcesfor all participating sub servers. This server controls all resourcesavailable to other sub servers at a global level, thus permitting gamesto focus on their versions, plot lines, characters and other uniquevariables, while the super server controls all the legal and structuralmatters. In another embodiment, such control may be managed in apeer-to-peer network environment or a combination of server and clients.Enablement of such an environment may be accomplished via the Internetand/or a virtual private and/or a private network.

According to some embodiments, import tariffs can be collected on all orsome goods entering a game environment. The player character governmentsthat control a server can set tax rates for each type of resource oritem that passes into and out of the server. Such tax rates may beaffected, e.g., established, adjusted, etc., based on any tariffsimposed by other servers on exports and/or imports. In this way thesystem may manually or automatically adjust such tariffs based uponactions taken by other game environments, whether or not such actionsare manually or automatically created, modified, raised, lowered oreliminated.

Alternatively, the game server, or one or more player characters could alimit of the number of items that each player can buy or build in a gameenvironment. As an example, the system could monitor the supply anddemand for any given product or product type to ensure that there isn'tan oversupply. Oversupply could be defined as any amount that wouldresult in the net real or virtual dollars generated by such an item,i.e., deflation, or on a net basis, i.e., the number items times thethen current price. Or, oversupply could be defined as any supply thatcauses any one of: a game imbalance, an unfair advantage for one person,race, environment, etc., or any other criteria established by the game(either via static or dynamically generated rules/constraints) and/or byany governing body within the game (e.g., a mayor, president, God,congress, etc.). The bodies may be assigned, anointed, appointed orelected, etc.

FIG. 1 provides a system 100 suitable for implementation of the gamedescribed above. As shown, system 100 includes a master game server 102and a game environment server 104.

Master game server may host a program such as game environment creationand set up program 106.

Game environment server may host a plurality of programs including, forexample:

-   -   1. Game Environment Creation and Set Up Program 108    -   2. Game Environment Management Program 110    -   3. Game Attribute Valuation Program 112    -   4. Exchange Multiplier Determination Program 114    -   5. Game Item Assembly Program 116

Master game server 102 may further host a plurality of databaseincluding, for example, game environment database 118 and playerdatabase 120.

Game Environment Database 118 may include information such as:

-   -   1. Game Environment ID    -   2. Player Owners 1-n    -   3. Percentage Ownership 1-n    -   4. Configuration Settings 1-n

Player Database 120 may include information such as:

-   -   5. Player ID    -   6. Characters 1-n    -   7. Billing Information    -   8. Personal Information

Game Environment 104 may include a plurality of databases including, forexample, current data database 122, raw material database 124, NPCdatabase 126, skill database 128, era database 130, exchange multiplierdatabase 132, player database 134, and player character database 136.

Current Date database 122 may be configured to . . .

Raw Material Database 124 may include information such as:

-   -   1. Raw Material ID    -   2. Ray Material Type    -   3. Location    -   4. First Date Available    -   5. Conditions for use    -   6. Conditions for discovery    -   7. Conditions for availability    -   8. Max Quantity Allowed    -   9. Quantity Issued    -   10. Quantity Remaining    -   11. License or Permit Fee    -   12. Expiration Date    -   13. Natural Decay Rate/Perishability Factor    -   14. Available Era(s)

NPC Database 126 may include information such as:

-   -   1. NPC ID    -   2. Type    -   3. Location    -   4. Conditions for Use    -   5. Conditions for availability    -   6. Max Quantity Allowed    -   7. Quantity Issued    -   8. Quantity Remaining    -   9. License or Permit Fee    -   10. Available Era(s)

Skill Database 128 may include information such as:

-   -   1. Skill ID    -   2. Type    -   3. Conditions for Use    -   4. Conditions for Availability    -   5. Max Quantity Allowed    -   6. Quantity Issued    -   7. Quantity Remaining    -   8. License or Permit Fee    -   9. Available Era(s)

Era Database 130 may include information such as:

-   -   1. Era ID    -   2. Date Range

Exchange Multiplier Database 132 may include information such as:

-   -   1. Exchange ID    -   2. Multiplier Number

Player Database 134 may include information such as:

-   -   1. Player ID    -   2. Characters 1-n    -   3. Billing Information    -   4. Personal Information

Player Character Database 136 may include information such as:

-   -   1. Character ID    -   2. Player ID    -   3. Assets 1-n    -   4. Skills 1-n    -   5. Obligations 1-n

According to one embodiment, system 100 may be configured to allocateraw material points by performing the following steps:

-   -   1. Receive an indication that a game environment has been        established    -   2. Output game environment point configuration options (e.g. to        the player(s)    -   3. Receive a configuration based on options from entity that has        established the game environment    -   4. Store Configuration

According to one embodiment, system 100 may be configured to assemble agame attribute from raw material by performing the following steps:

-   -   1. Receive a request to assemble a game attribute, including a        blueprint,    -   2. Create an item record, including a unique serial number, item        creator, blueprints used, and other asset information    -   3. Determine raw materials and skills necessary to complete        assembly of item from blueprint    -   4. Determine existing missing skills and raw materials in the        player character account    -   5. Output existing missing skills and raw materials to player        character    -   6. Receive missing skills and raw materials from one or more        player characters    -   7. Determine a blueprint royalty price for each blueprint needed        to assemble item    -   8. Transfer royalty price from player character account to        blueprint owner account    -   9. Flag item record as complete

According to one embodiment, system 100 may be configured to place rawmaterials in virtual locations of the game environment by performing thefollowing steps:

-   -   1. Receive a Raw Material Allocation Configuration from a Player        Character    -   2. Generate a Game Environment Map    -   3. Receive a placement of raw materials on the game environment        map    -   4. Store placement of raw materials on game environment map

According to one embodiment, system 100 may be configured to make rawmaterial available based on a game condition by performing the followingsteps:

-   -   1. Determine that a game condition has been satisfied in a game        environment    -   2. Determine if a raw material is to be made available if the        condition is satisfied    -   3. Make raw material available

According to one embodiment, system 100 may be configured to determinean exchange multiplier by performing the following steps:

-   -   1. Generate an exchange value for two or more game environment        based on activity and conditions in the game environment    -   2. Create an exchange multiplier based on the relationship of        the exchange values between two or more game environments    -   3. Store exchange multiplier

According to one embodiment, system 100 may be configured to determinethe value of item on an exchange based on a multiplier by performing thefollowing steps:

-   -   1. Receive a request to purchase an item from a player character        in one game environment,    -   2. Determine available items to fulfill the request that are        owned by player characters in other game environments    -   3. Retrieve the exchange multiplier between the game        environments of the purchasing player and the selling players    -   4. Multiply each available item by the appropriate exchange        multiplier    -   5. Output available items, with a corresponding price that has        been adjusted based on exchange multipliers    -   6. Receive a request to fulfill the request to purchase with one        of the available items    -   7. Withdraw virtual funds from the purchasing player character        equal to the purchase price    -   8. Convert the purchase price using the exchange multiplier into        a virtual currency value    -   9. Deposit virtual currency value into account of selling        virtual player

According to one embodiment, system 100 may be configured to allocateskill points by performing the following steps:

-   -   1. Receive an indication that a player character has purchased a        game environment    -   2. Generate and Output a configuration request for skill points        in the game environment    -   3. Receive and Store a configuration of skill points

According to one embodiment, system 100 may be configured to allocateNPC points by performing the following steps:

-   -   1. Receive an indication that a player character has purchased a        game environment    -   2. Generate and output a configuration request for NPCs in the        game environment    -   3. Receive and Store a configuration of NPCs

According to one embodiment, system 100 may be configured to allocatepermit and fee points by performing the following steps:

-   -   1. Receive an indication that a player character has purchased a        game environment    -   2. Generate and output a configuration request for permits and        fees in the game environment    -   3. Receive and store a configuration for permits and fees in the        game environment

According to one embodiment, system 100 may be configured to sell anitem on an exchange by performing the following steps:

-   -   1. Receive a request to sell a virtual item on an exchange    -   2. Determine if item is unique    -   3. Determine if a permit is required and/or exists to sell the        item    -   4. If the item is unique and a permit is required/exists, post        item on exchange    -   5. Receive acceptance of request    -   6. Determine an import or other tax amount and an export tax        amount    -   7. Apply import or other tax amount to purchase price    -   8. Withdraw virtual cash equal to purchase price plus tax from        buyer    -   9. Transmit purchase price, less applicable export tax fees to        seller

According to yet another embodiment, the present invention provides anonline video game environment where player characters invent items bycreating blueprints that are registered to a virtual patent office andused by other player characters. The game environment allows playercharacters to design and build in-game objects and/or software fromartificial, natural or virtual resources and in-game objects that arealready in existence in the game environment and/or otherwisetransferred and/or permitted by and/or within a game, including, but notlimited to in-game objects, virtual blueprints, business processes,software programs, subroutines, etc, which are collectively referred toherein as “objects”.

According to one embodiment, a player character can design an objectfrom a pre-existing game resource(s) and/or items and/or creates humanreadable and/or machine readable code. The object can be designed andthe components required to build the object can be specified. The objectcan then be registered with a central and/or local virtual patentoffice. As applicable, each component of the object that was designed byanother player character and registered with the patent office receivesa royalty. The royalty amount to use the invention design can bespecified by the player character registering it with the patent officeor via other predetermined or dynamically determined means. The designcan specify not only the object, but also the pre-existing tools andresources that are used to create the object.

The patent office may follow rules to determine if an object or otherinvention, method, or process qualifies for a patent. Such rules may bebased in whole or in part on US laws and regulations (which are herebyincorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes), USPTOrules and regulations (which are hereby incorporated by reference intheir entirety for all purposes), US court precedence, and/or any othercountry's laws, regulations, rules, precedence's, etc., and/or basedupon rules and regulations, that may be established by any one or moreof: the game manufacturer(s); one or more players of the game(s);representatives appointed elected by the game manufacturer and/or thegame players; and/or any other government, body or group of individualsthat are duly authorized or are otherwise able to create, impose and/orenforce such laws, rules or regulations.

A system for patent office structure and management has been disclosedby applicants in U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/727,191,which is incorporated herein by reference. Such system may by employedor incorporated in the presently described embodiment.

As a non-limiting example of the present embodiment, a player charactercan use the raw resource of metal ore, combined with the skills of metalsmithing and fire making, to design and build an axe and a saw. Thedesign for the axe and saw, along with the resources, other game items,and attributes required to build them, can be registered with a virtualpatent office and sold to other player characters who need them tobuild, various items. The design may be that of an actual or virtualblueprint, i.e., a drawing with written specifications of manufacture,and/or the design may be a computer program or specification to create avirtual object and its attributes and method(s) of interaction withand/or insertion to a game, game space, or network of one or more gamesand/or it may be a disclosure of the invention including the necessaryinformation to reduce the item to practice, again, according to rulesestablished by the players, manufacturers, virtual patent office orotherwise.

According to one embodiment, designs can be created using an in gameblueprint creator and editor.

According to another embodiment, a first set of items and blueprints canbe included with or generated by the game server. Once those items havebeen assembled, they can be used as building blocks for items created byplayer characters.

Optionally, items created by player characters can have a limitededition number, GUID or other identifying number, mark, or logo.

Alternatively, the player character could submit the object or documentin hard copy or electronic copy, e.g., Microsoft Word file, forsubsequent review by the virtual patent office. A player characterassembling a new object from existing items may have to purchase orotherwise acquire blueprints for those items along with the raw and/orfinished materials needed for those items. Purchasing blueprints canserve the purpose of licensing the intellectual property needed toassemble an item. Once the raw or other materials and blueprints havebeen purchased or acquired, the player character can then assemble theitems either with skills he has or by hiring other player characterswith the appropriate skills to assemble the item. If other playercharacters or NPC's are used to assemble an item, they may be paid a setfee or fees established by the game, free market, player voting, or, inthe case of indentured players or NPC's, free (or for a maintenancefee). The assembly of each component that requires the services of anNPC or other player character can be contracted out by posing a requestto assemble an item from a blueprint and raw materials. NPCs and playercharacters can submit offers or accept a posted fee to assemble an item.

According to another embodiment, there can be a marketplace for itemblueprints and/or the actual item(s). Each creator of an item can set aprice for his item or blueprint. Other player characters can createcompeting blueprints (if the item or blueprints does not violate apatent right) for items and the marketplace can allow the blueprints tobe sold side by side.

The intellectual property system allows player characters to registerblueprints for objects. The system also compares the blueprints toexisting blueprints to determine if they are patentably distinct. If thesystem is unable to make such a determination, the matter may bedetermined by a court of competent jurisdiction (in either the real orvirtual world) which may or may not include a judge, arbiter, and/or ajury and/or another governing or administrative body or a group ofplayers or player characters that has been established for the purposeof such review. Each player character must distinguish the blueprint ofhis item from the prior art. A player character, group of playercharacters or the game manufacturer and/or game server can act as thepatent examiner. A group of player characters who are ranked as expertson a certain class of blueprints can also vote on the patentability of anew blueprint. Player characters can pay a fee in real or virtualdollars to have their blueprint examined and a patent issued on theblueprint. In an embodiment, only blueprints that have been patented canbe sold and used in the game environment.

According to one embodiment, certain items cannot be blueprinted unlessthe player character has access to certain technologies. Thesetechnologies can be discovered and/or purchased by the player character,his race, class, or city if they are healthy. Technology discoveriesand/or patents can be traded between player characters, cities, races,classes, game servers, and games.

According to one embodiment, a rules based expert system or geneticalgorithm can be applied to a blueprint and the prior art to determinethe degree of difference between one design and another. If the degreeof difference is not of an adequate percentage, the blueprint can berejected by the patent office system of the game server.

According to another embodiment, every item that is created may have aprovenance. All the resource(s), maker(s), item(s), objects,blueprint(s) serial number, edition number, etc that went into creatingthe object are stored with the object and can be viewed by clicking on aprovenance link. Searches can be conducted on items by these provenancecategories to locate their positions, prices, availability and owners.

According to one embodiment, the central system can query the databaseof all items in existence to determine if an item exists that has anidentical number to another item. If more than one item exists with thesame number, one of them may be identified as a forgery and the item(s)can be flagged as such and/or submitted for further review to theappropriate governing body and/or player characters and/or game servers,etc. Alternatively, a query can be made against an item to determine ifthe serial number matches the provenance on file, if the item does notmatch its database entry, it can be flagged as a forgery.

Alternatively or additionally, a player character may assemble a groupof game attributes and combine them together in order to generateone-time or ongoing wealth. For example, a player character may need topurchase or inherit a parcel of land, hire a real player or NPC farmer,and purchase seeds in order to grow and sell crops. Groups of gameattributes can be combined with other groups in order to generate evengreater up front or per turn wealth. For instance a corn farm could becombined with a warehouse to store corn until it can be sold at thehighest possible price.

In another embodiment, certain objects, skills, resources, etc., mayonly be built in cooperation with two or more players, thus requiringcertain levels of cooperation to build certain objects and/or obtaincertain resources or skills. For example, a game may require that twentyplayer characters cooperate to obtain certain individual skills, such asphysics, electronics, mining, etc in order to build an atomic or othertype of weapon. Such requirements may naturally evolve in a game, and/orbe pre-established by the game manufacturer, and/or by user groupsand/or by majority or other voting systems, etc. The number of gameattribute groups that can be created can be limited based on the size ofthe game environment, city, or player character family and/or by mutualmajority or super majority agreement and/or by a vote of the playercharacters, and/or by a representative governing body.

According to one embodiment, a defined list of grouped attributes andthe corresponding game attributes they create on a one time or ongoingbasis can be made available to the player characters via a pop upscreen.

According to one embodiment, a player character can indicate that hewants to assemble a particular game attribute and the game server cantell him the additional game attributes that are needed to assemble theitem. In the case that additional players are required, the game servermay be configured to indicate to the player character which other playercharacters have the skills and/or resources required to complement therequesting player's skills and/or resources.

According to one embodiment, players can pay an additional up front orrecurring fee so that their characters can assemble attributes intogroups to form new attributes.

According to another embodiment, a player character may be preventedfrom or otherwise restricted to only being able to build a plan to buildan item from resources that already exist in the game and/or that may betransferred into the game from another game and/or exchange. Every itemthat is created in a game can be registered with a central virtualpatent office as an invention. Inventions then become building blocksfor new inventions. For instance, a player character can create a doorhandle. The door handle can be combined with a plank of wood to create adoor. The plank of wood could only exist if a saw or other tool wasinvented to cut the wood.

In an embodiment, the object being designed or created by the playercharacter is in the form of a software application or portion or anapplication, e.g., a subroutine or software object, that performs one ormore functions. For example, the software application may be a programthat creates a virtual car wash that, once added to the game space, canprovide virtual car washes for virtual cars. The benefits of suchsoftware applications can vary widely and owners or licensors of suchapplications may charge a fee for use of the application and/or usagecharges based upon in game play. For example, the game creator maycharge player characters 10 virtual dollars to wash their virtual cars.The benefit of such an action may be purely cosmetic or of entertainmentvalue. Alternatively or additionally, such an action may have abeneficial effect on the virtual car, e.g., the car is faster or wearsout more slowly.

In another embodiment, all existing issued and pending prior art andpatents in the real world become prior art and/or patents in the virtualworld and may be recognized as valid intellectual property within thevirtual world. Alternatively, only virtual items that are created,developed and/or patented in the virtual world are recognized, meaningthat any virtual item may be developed and inventorship is onlyattributed to the game player.

In an alternate embodiment, a player character can build a plan for anobject and assign materials to each piece of the object. The materialsthat are available may be based on the types of materials that areavailable in the particular game environment. Moreover, the materialsmay be limited to only those materials that would be available in theparticular era of the game, and the suitable technologies known to theplayer characters given the game's environment and/or era. Based on theplan and the materials specified, a price may be determined for thematerials. A list of NPC and player characters who posses the skillsnecessary to build the object or pieces of it may also be made availableto the player characters. According to some embodiments, playercharacters can create contracts to build items. Several playercharacters or NPCs may be needed to create an object, and each charactercan bid on a part, sub-part or all of the contract. A general contractormay be hired to find, organize, manage, and pay for all necessaryresources and/or players or NPCs to build an item.

According to one embodiment, physical limitations can be assigned togame objects. For instance, the weight, size, and shape of an object canbe limited based on the player character for whom the item is beingmade. For instance a helmet has to have a certain diameter, a sword hasto have a certain handle size and weight, etc.

According to one embodiment, the size and weight of an item may affectthe cost to use an item, e.g., if a vehicle is built, the cost tooperate and/or maintain the vehicle may increase with the size andweight of the vehicle. The amount of energy required to use the item,e.g., gasoline for a vehicle, may also increase with the size, weight orshape of the item. Moreover, the ability for an item to perform certaintasks, e.g. for a vehicle to carry a certain load such as passengersand/or items, may be restricted based upon the size and design of theitem.

According to one embodiment, the virtual size and weight of an item mayaffect the effectiveness of the item, e.g., if a sword weighs 50 poundsit may be more lethal when striking a blow, but it may fatigue its userfaster than a sword that weights only 10 pounds. Such effects may alsobe affected by the size and strength of the bearer of arms. For example,a 50 pound sword in the hands of a 300 pound virtual character may beboth more lethal and less strenuous than when wielded by a 150 poundplayer character. In the preceding example, the heavier character may beable to effectively swing or thrust the sword three times per turn, andan unlimited number of times in a given battle sequence, while thelighter player character may only be able to effectively swing or thrustthe sword once each turn and only a maximum of five times during thecourse of a battle sequence.

According to another embodiment, NPC or Player Characters can create anyitem in a blueprint for a fee. A blueprint can be posted on an exchangeand player characters having the appropriate skills can bid to assemblethe item. Such bids may or may not include the raw materials necessaryto build the item. If raw materials are not included, the player makingthe request may be expected to supply, purchase or otherwise acquire(e.g., pillage, plunder, or steal) the raw materials and/or thecomponent parts. The player character who posted the item can thenaccept one of the bids posted on the exchange to assemble the item.Payment terms may be established by the game, players and/or agreed tobetween the requesting player and the supplier player or NPC. Terms maycreated using any financial arrangement including but not limited to:cash up front, partial initial payment and lump sum upon completion,credit card or other financing instrument, series of equal or unequalpayments, total amount upon completion, etc. Methods to provide for useof credit cards and other financial instruments in virtual environmentsare disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/279,991,11/380,489, and 11/421025, each of which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety for all purposes.

According to one embodiment, other attributes and/or effects may beassigned to an object. For example, use of a virtual lubricant mightmake a virtual car run faster and/or wear more slowly.

According to one embodiment, a character may only be able to createobjects that he has the ability to use. For example, a player charactercannot make a blueprint for an item that he does not have the skills toassemble. Characters may hire other players and/or NPCs having therequisite skill(s) to create an item from a blueprint for a fee, or, ifindentured, for free.

According to one embodiment, in-game objects can include, but are notlimited to:

-   -   1. Weapons    -   2. Tools    -   3. Buildings    -   4. Vehicles    -   5. Workers    -   6. Devices    -   7. Designs    -   8. Programs, e.g., software or “plug-ins”    -   9. Intellectual Property, including logo's, trademarks,        blueprints, etc.

According to one embodiment, players can pay an additional up front orrecurring fee so that their characters can build one or more in gameobjects

When a player character submits a request for an object he has designedto be built, the game server can display a list of the natural resourcesand quantities required to assemble the object. The game server can alsolist all the skills necessary to assemble the item and list other playercharacters or NPCs who have the required skill level to assemblecomponents of the item. The game server may also list any generalcontractors (within the current or any other connected game) who areavailable and have demonstrated the skills, connections, etc., necessaryto acquire the necessary resources and labor to build the object. Suchplayer and/or contractor listings may be listed alphabetically, orsorted according to any one or more of: experience, other player ratingsor rankings, quality, quantity/capacity, price for similar or identicalitems, bid, availability, reputation, past legal violations, e.g., priorpatent infringement or lawsuits or claims by other players, etc. Theplayer character can immediately contact characters who have thenecessary skills and/or other desired attributes to build the item andrequest bids to assemble all or part of the in game object and/orcontrol or manage the process for the player requesting the item(s).

According to one embodiment, the game system can determine the skilllevel required to assemble an item based on the complexity of the designand the natural resources required to assemble it. For some items theskill level may be greater than the skill that any one or more playercharacter(s) in the game environment has or can have. Moreover,according to some embodiments, a player character with the appropriateskill set(s) may only reside in another game environment. In such acase, in order for the item to be assembled, the player character may berequired to sell his blueprint(s) on an intra or inter game environmentexchange to the character with the appropriate skill set(s), have theitem built by the player character with the appropriate skill set(s),and then purchase the item on the exchange from the character with theappropriate skill set(s).

According to one embodiment, a table, rules-based system, or genetic orother algorithm may be used to determine the skill level required toassemble an item and assign that skill level to a blue print.

According to one embodiment, certain skill levels and types may only beavailable in certain game environments. These skills may trade onintergame servers.

According to one embodiment, exchanges can exist between cities, states,races, clans, classes or other collections of players in a gameenvironment and/or multiple connected game environments.

According to one embodiment, items can be invented and registered with apatent office server that manages the filing of blueprints from all gameenvironment servers. According to some embodiments, if a blueprint iscreated and filed in one game environment, it cannot be created andfiled again in another game environment.

According to one embodiment, a virtual or real cash fee can be chargedto a player character who wants to register a blueprint to be patented.A portion of this fee can be paid to other player characters who arewilling to examine the filed blueprint for patentability. In oneembodiment, such volunteers or paid examiners must agree that theycannot create or be involved with the creation of patents in the fieldof use for applications that they agree to examine. In anotherembodiment, examiners are hired and governed by laws and rules, such asthe laws and rules of the United States of America, the USPTO, or bylaws, rules and regulations established by the game manufacturer, one ormore players in the game designated for such purpose, any other bodyelected by the players and/or appointed by the game manufacturer, and/orany other entity that is duly authorized to appoint and/or hireexaminers.

According to one embodiment, the licensing fee a player can charge for apatent blueprint can be a percentage of the total item value on anexchange at the time the item is created. The percentage can bevariable. For example, a patent with a higher licensing percent fee canhave a shorter life than a patent with a lower percent licensing fee.For example, a player can receive a 10% license fee for a patentblueprint for one year or 10,000 units, or could receive a 5% licensefee for a patent blueprint for three years or 30,000 units.Alternatively, the fixed or flat fee of a patent license can have aneffect on the life of the patent. For instance, a player can elect toreceive $10 virtual dollars for the use of a patent blueprint for oneyear or 10,000 units, or can receive $5 for three years or 30,000 units.

According to one embodiment, the total resources, virtual assets, orskills need to create an item from a blueprint can have an effect on themaximum licensing fee that a player can charge to use a blueprint tocreate an item. For example, a virtual shovel can have a maximumblueprint license fee of $1, but a virtual space station can have amaximum blueprint license fee of $2000.

According to one embodiment, the blueprint licensing fee can be reducedover time or when a certain number of units of an item have beencreated. For instance, a license to assemble an item from a blueprintcan be $10 for the first year or 10,000 items, and $5 for the secondyear or second 20,000 items.

According to one embodiment, patent blueprint ownership can betransferred from one assignee to another on an exchange.

FIG. 2 provides an exemplary system 200 that may be used to provide theembodiment described above. As shown, system 200 may include a patentoffice server 202, a game environment server 204, and an exchange server206.

Patent Office Server 202 may include or host various programs, routines,or subroutines including, but not limited to:

-   -   1. Blueprint registration program 208    -   2. Patent examination and issuance program 210    -   3. Blueprint patent expiration program 212    -   4. Blueprint licensing configuration program 214

Game Environment Server 204 may include or host various programs,routines, or subroutines including, but not limited to:

-   -   1. Item creation and blueprint registration program 216    -   2. Create item from blueprint program 218    -   3. Create contract to create item from blueprint program 220    -   4. Accept contract to create item from blueprint program 222

Moreover, patent office server may host one or more databases including,as non-limiting examples, a registered blueprint database 224 and anexaminer database 226.

Registered Blueprint Database 224 may include information such as, butnot limited to:

-   -   1. Blueprint ID    -   2. Blueprint Inventor    -   3. Blueprint Assignee    -   4. Blueprint Class    -   5. Blueprint Subclass    -   6. Blueprint Status    -   7. Blueprint Content    -   8. Skills Required to assemble item from blueprint    -   9. Blueprints required to assemble blueprint    -   10. Resources required to assemble blueprint    -   11. Blueprint Registration Date    -   12. Blueprint Royalty/Licensing Configuration    -   13. Examiner ID    -   14. Max quantity    -   15. Quantity remaining    -   16. Quantity sold    -   17. Expiration Date    -   18. Expiration Quantity

Examiner Database 224 may include information such as, but not limitedto:

-   -   1. Examiner ID    -   2. Examiner Class    -   3. Examiner Subclass    -   4. Examination History

Game Environment Server 204 may include one or more databases such as,without limitation, player database 228, player character database 230,available skills database 232, available NPC database 234, and availablenatural resource database 236.

Player Database 228 may include information such as, but not limited to:

-   -   1. Player ID    -   2. Player Characters 1-n    -   3. Player Personal Information    -   4. Player Billing Information

Player Character Database 230 may include information such as, but notlimited to:

-   -   1. Character ID    -   2. Player ID    -   3. Character Assets    -   4. Blueprints Invented    -   5. Blueprints Owned    -   6. Skills 1-n    -   7. Skill level 1-n

Available Skills Database 232 may include information such as, but notlimited to:

-   -   1. Skill ID    -   2. Skill Descriptor    -   3. Maximum Allowed (per level)    -   4. Issued to date (per level)    -   5. Remaining to be issued (per level)    -   6. Permit Price    -   7. Available Date Range    -   8. Last market value levels 1-n    -   9. Max level

Available NPC Database 234 may include information such as, but notlimited to:

-   -   1. NPC ID    -   2. NPC descriptor and attributes    -   3. Last Market Value    -   4. Maximum Allowed    -   5. Issued to Date    -   6. Remaining to be Issued    -   7. Issuance conditions    -   8. Dates available    -   9. Permit Price

Available Natural Resources Database 236 may include information suchas, but not limited to:

-   -   1. Resource ID    -   2. Resource Descriptor    -   3. Last market value    -   4. Maximum Allowed    -   5. Issued to Date    -   6. Remaining to be issued    -   7. Permit Price    -   8. Available Date Range    -   9. Last market value    -   10. Resource Attributes 1-n

Exchange Server 206 may include various database including, but notlimited to, blueprint marketplace (or exchange) database 238, andavailable blueprints database 240.

Blueprint Marketplace (or Exchange) Database 238 may include informationsuch as, but not limited to:

-   -   1. Game Environment ID    -   2. Transaction Fee    -   3. Monthly Fee

Available Blueprints database 240 may include information such as, butnot limited to:

-   -   1. Blueprint Number    -   2. Blueprint Price (by usage type)    -   3. Quantity Remaining

System 200 may be configured to determine if a blueprint can be patentedby performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive a blueprint filing, including a player character        inventor ID, a virtual entity assignee ID, a blueprint design, a        blueprint class and subclass, required resources and skills to        assemble the blueprint, and required other blueprints to        assemble the blueprint    -   2. Compare filed blueprint to existing filed blueprints and        generate a similarity rating    -   3. If similarity rating is greater than allowable threshold,        flag blueprint as requiring further examination.    -   4. If similarity rating is less than allowable threshold    -   5. Generate a patent number    -   6. Assign patent number to blueprint record    -   7. Notify blueprint owner that blueprint has been patented    -   8. Post blueprint in patent office

System 200 may be configured to pay examiners for reviewing blueprintsby performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Output a blueprint that has a similarity rating higher than        allowable threshold to a player character    -   2. Receive opinion from player character that blueprint can be        patented    -   3. Generate a patent number    -   4. Assign patent number to blueprint record    -   5. Notify blueprint owner that blueprint has been patented    -   6. Post blueprint in patent office    -   7. Set Up Blueprint Licensing Structure    -   8. Receive a request to set up a blueprint licensing structure    -   9. Output allowable licensing structure, including per usage        fee, usage type, maximum usage (limited edition number)    -   10. Receive a licensing structure configuration    -   11. Store licensing structure configuration with blueprint

System 200 may be configured to create an item from a blueprint byperforming steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive a request to create an item from a blueprint from a        player character    -   2. Generate and Output a licensing amount to the player        character    -   3. Receive an acceptance of the licensing amount from the player        character    -   4. Generate a blueprint license number    -   5. Create a new item record, including blueprint license number    -   6. Generate and Output a list of necessary virtual skills,        resources, blueprints, and components necessary to assemble item    -   7. Receive necessary skills, resources, blueprints, and        components necessary to assemble item    -   8. Create item    -   9. Output item to item creator    -   10. Output licensing payment, less applicable fees to patent        assignee

System 200 may be configured to post a contract to build an item from ablueprint by performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Create a contract to build an item, including the item        record, the date of completion, the necessary skills, the actual        virtual assets need to assemble the item, and a contract price        from a player character    -   2. Store contract offer    -   3. Withdraw contract offer price, plus applicable fees, from        player character account

System 200 may be configured to accept a contract to build an item byperforming steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive an acceptance of a contract offer to assemble an item        from a blueprint    -   2. Receive an indication that a contract has been completed    -   3. Flag item record as complete    -   4. Transmit payment for fulfilling contract, less applicable        fees, to player character

System 200 may be configured to make a bid to build an item byperforming steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive a counter offer to a contract offer to assemble an        item from a blueprint, including a counter offer price and        assembly date from a player character    -   2. Store and output offer to the player character who initially        created the contract offer

System 200 may be configured to post a blueprint patent on an exchangein order to transfer an assignee by performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive an offer to sell a blueprint patent, including an        offer price, a remaining edition number from a player character        who controls a blueprint assignee.    -   2. Store offer and post offer on exchange

System 200 may be configured to purchase a blueprint patent on abexchange by performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive a request to purchase a blueprint patent from a        player character    -   2. Receive a new assignee name    -   3. Withdraw purchase price, including applicable fees, from new        assignee account    -   4. Transfer blueprint to new assignee    -   5. Transmit purchase price, less applicable fees, to former        assignee of blueprint patent

System 200 may be configured to expire a patent or copyright term byperforming steps such as:

-   -   1. Determine that a blueprint patent has reached its expiration        date    -   2. flag licensing configuration for patent blueprint as expired

System 200 may be configured to find duplicate items or forged items byperforming steps such as:

-   -   1. Retrieve an ID number for a virtual asset that is posted on        an exchange    -   2. Determine if ID number is a valid number    -   3. Determine if ID number is unique    -   4. Remove item from exchange if ID number in not valid or unique

According to yet another embodiment, the present invention provides asystem and methods for digital rights management in a video gameenvironment. According to one embodiment, a player character canacquire, buy, and/or create music, text and images (or the real orvirtual rights to these or other copyrightable materials) that otherplayer characters can subscribe to and use in their virtual spaces. Forexample, a player character creates images, text and music either byusing editors in the game environment or by importing them from a remoteeditor. Each image, text and or song is registered with the copyrightoffice of the game or an independent copyright gaming system. Thecopyright office system determines if the image, text or song isdistinct from text, songs and images already copyrighted. If the systemdetermines that the text, song or image is unique, a copyright can beobtained.

According to one embodiment, images, text and songs can then be sold onan exchange. Other player characters can buy the right to use theimages, text and songs in virtual structures they have created. Pricingfor the images, text and songs is based on the virtual space in whichthey are being used. For example, the use of a set of one or more imagesand or one or more songs in a virtual house costs $x virtual or realdollars per virtual or real time period, while showing the same image(s)or playing the same song(s) in a virtual restaurant may cost $y virtualor real dollars. Fees to use images, text and songs could be set on thenumber of unique impressions of those images by player characters or foran unlimited use license. The system can track how many playercharacters were exposed to or otherwise used, viewed or played the imageor song and charge the owner of the billboard or virtual space where theimage or song is being used a per use fee.

According to one embodiment, the methods, laws, rules and regulationsfor the virtual copyright office to follow to determine if an image,song, text or other work is the valid property of an applicant may bedetermined solely or in part by the laws, rules, regulations andprecedence of the United States of America and/or the USPTO (each ofwhich is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for allpurposes) and/or by one or more laws, rules regulations and precedenceof one or more foreign countries, and/or by laws, rules and regulationscreated or passed by any one or more of the a) game manufacturer, b) oneor more player characters assigned that duty and who otherwise possesthe right and obligation to perform such duties, c) a representativegovernment elected by a majority or super majority or other votingmethods as established by the player characters, user group,manufacturers, group or consortium of manufacturers and/or playercharacters, and/or any combination of these.

FIG. 3 provides an exemplary system 300 that is suitable for use withthe embodiment described above. As shown, system 300 includes a gamesserver 302 which may include or host various programs, routines, orsubroutines including, but not limited to a digital rights managementprogram 304. Game server 302 may further maintain or be in contact witha plurality of databases, examples of which include, but are not limitedto a copyright database 306, a player database 308, and a playercharacter database 310.

Copyright Database 306 may include information such as, but not limitedto:

-   -   1. Copyright ID    -   2. Copyright Owner    -   3. Copyright Creator    -   4. Royalty/Licensing Configuration    -   5. Copyright content

Player Database 308 may include information such as, but not limited to:

-   -   1. Player ID    -   2. Player Billing Info    -   3. Player Personal Info    -   4. Player Characters 1-n

Player Character Database 310 may include information such as, but notlimited to:

-   -   1. Character ID    -   2. Player ID    -   3. Character assets 1-n    -   4. Character attributes 1-n    -   5. Character copyrights invented 1-n    -   6. Character copyrights owned 1-n

System 200 may be configured to determine if an item can be copyrightedby performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive a request to copyright an item from a player        character, including the item    -   2. Determine if item can be copyrighted based on other        copyrighted items    -   3. If item can be copyrighted, copyright item and output        copyright notice to player character

System 200 may be configured to establish copyright royalty paymentcriteria by performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Output Royalty Payment Criteria Options    -   2. Receive Royalty configuration based on options    -   3. Store royalty configuration

System 200 may be configured to sell rights for the usage of copyrighteditems on an exchange by performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive a request to use a copyrighted item, including a        usage type from a player character    -   2. Determine royalty payment based on royalty configuration    -   3. Charge royalty payment to player character    -   4. Issue item to player character    -   5. Transmit royalty payment, less applicable fees, to copyright        holder.

System 200 further may be configured to charge a royalty fee when anitem is used in a game environment by performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive an indication that a copyrighted item has been used        by a player character in a game environment under a particular        usage type    -   2. Determine a royalty payment based on usage type    -   3. Charge royalty payment to player character    -   4. Transmit royalty payment, less applicable fees, to copyright        holder.

According to yet another embodiment the invention provides methods andsystems for providing inter and intra game exchanges between massivemulti online player video games. According to one embodiment, a methodand system are disclosed for providing markets for virtual gameattributes between (i) player characters in a game server (ii) cities orgroups of player characters in a game or multiple game environments(iii) game servers of a massive multi online player video game and (iv)multiple different massive multi online video games.

According to one embodiment, player characters can purchase exchangeseats on a game server that allow the player characters to createmarkets for certain game attributes. Exchange seats can be purchasedwith real or virtual cash, or can be earned when the player characterperforms certain actions such as when the player character, reaches acertain level in the game, acquires a certain game attribute, or plays acertain amount of time in the game environment. According to oneembodiment, exchange seats can be lost if other player characterscomplain or vote to remove the player character who controls the seatfrom his position.

According to one embodiment, virtual video game exchanges functionsimilarly to real world exchanges. The laws, rules, regulations andprecedence of the exchange(s) may be based, solely or in part upon anyone or more or a combination of, the laws, rules, regulations andprecedence of the United States of America and/or any foreign country,and/or those of the NYSE, NASDAQ or the American stock exchange, and/orthose established by the game manufacturer, and/or by one or more playercharacters who have been duly appointed and/or anointed, and/or electedby the player characters via a majority or super majority vote or othervoting method, and/or any player character or governing body dulyauthorized to create, pass, modify, overturn or enforce such rules,laws, regulations, etc. The laws of the United States of America and itscase law and the rules and regulations of the NYSE, and NASDAQ, and theAmerican Stock Exchange are all hereby incorporated by reference intheir entirety for all purposes.

Player Character can post buy or sell orders for attributes that arelisted on the exchange. The following orders are non-limiting examplesof orders that player characters can place in an in or intra gameexchange:

Marketplace—a marketplace allows buy and sell (and/or put and call)orders for resources and attributes to be placed by player characterswho have an account with a player character who has a seat on theexchange. The player character who owns the exchange seat fills ormatches the orders.

Auction—an auction allows player characters who have an account with aplayer character who has a seat on the auction to post items for saleand to bid on items posted. The highest bid for an item within a certaintime period wins the item for the bid amount.

Dutch Auction—a Dutch auction allows player characters who have anaccount with a player character who owns a seat on the Dutch auction topost items for sale with several prices that descend over periods oftime. Player characters can purchase these items at the posted price, orwait until the next price period to purchase them at the subsequentlylowered price.

Market Order—player characters can place an order to buy an amount of agame attribute. The attribute is purchased or sold at the market priceeither in the full amount or in parts of the full amount until the fullamount has been reached

Stop Loss Order—an order can be placed to sell a game attribute if themarket price reaches a certain limit. When the market price reaches thatlimit, the game attribute is sold.

Limit Order—an order can be placed to buy or sell a game attribute for afixed price. The order can have an expiration date.

Fill or Kill order—an order can be placed that requires a fixed amountof a game attribute to be bought or sold within a given time period. Ifthe exchange cannot fill 100% of the order, the order can expire withoutbeing partially filled. The order may have a set price, price range oraccept a “market price” setting.

Short Selling—A player character can sell a game attribute he does notown. The second player character purchasing these phantom gameattributes can request possession of the game attributes. If the firstplayer character is unable to provide the game attributes he has soldshort, he can be charged the market value and or a fee to fulfill hisobligation to the first player character.

Alternatively or additionally, rather than placing an order to buy anactual game attribute, player characters can, for example, buy futuresor options to buy the game attribute for a set price at a future date.

For example, a player character can place an order to buy 1000 virtualthistle bush seeds on Jun. 20, 2006 for $1 virtual dollar per seed. Thecontract could cost 0.10 cents per seed or $10. The player order couldbe filled for a price of $10 by another player character who isobligated to deliver 1000 virtual thistle bush seeds for $1 virtualdollar per seed on Jun. 20, 2006. Conversely, a player character canplace an order to sell 1000 virtual thistle bush seeds on June 20^(th)for $1 virtual dollar per seed. This player character could be a virtualthistle bush farmer who wants to lock in the price of his virtual gameattribute before his crop is ready.

In an embodiment, exchanges are the only place in the game environmentwhere an item can be guaranteed to be delivered if it is purchased. If aseller of a game attribute cannot fill his order, the owner of theexchange seat must do so in his stead. Such guarantees may be backed byan insurance policy and/or another financial instrument such as avirtual or real credit card.

According to one embodiment, player characters can purchase a seat on anexchange that gives them the right to buy and sell the game attributesallowed in that particular exchange. Initially, a player character canpurchase or earn a seat on an exchange from the game server. Once theseat is owned by a player character, it can be sold to other playercharacters, provided those player characters are allowed to own seats onexchanges.

According to one embodiment, player characters can make real or virtualmoney if they own an exchange seat by performing any one or more of thefollowing actions:

-   -   1. Charging a monthly fee to each player character who has an        account on the exchange    -   2. Charging a per transaction fee to each player character who        sells a game attribute on the exchange    -   3. Creating a spread between the buy and sell (and/or bid and        ask) price of a game attribute.    -   4. Charging a percentage fee based on the total transaction        amount.

According to one embodiment, a player character can manage his seat onan exchange by (i) making buy and sell decisions on each order that isplaced by another player character (ii) by setting up buy and sellparameters for game attributes (iii) by hiring an NPC or a contractor orfinancial services consultant (i.e., another player character thatprovides such services) to manage his seat on the exchange.

According to one embodiment, a player character who owns a seat on anexchange can offer exchange accounts to other player characters for amonthly or per transaction or other fee. When a player character electsto use his exchange account to sell a game attribute, he may be requiredto pay a transaction fee to the exchange owner.

According to one embodiment, a player character who owns a seat on anexchange can set up order rules. Examples of rules that may be set upinclude, but are not limited to:

-   -   1. Player characters need a credit score of x or above to have a        margin account on the exchange    -   2. Certain orders are allowed on the exchange while others are        not.    -   3. Limits can be placed on the amounts of a particular game        attribute that can be exchanged in a given time period.    -   4. Exchanges may only be available during certain time periods    -   5. What player characters are able to place orders on an        exchange can be limited by game, server, territory, government,        race, class, skill, level, etc.    -   6. What items can be exchanged

According to one embodiment, player characters may also set up alerts tonotify them prior to or upon any exchange being consummated. Alerts mayalso be established to monitor the number, type, price, trends, etc. forany one or more game attributes. Alerts may be sent via messages withinthe game space and/or into the “real world” using e-mail, or text orvoice messaging.

According to one embodiment, based on the rules set up by the playercharacter with an exchange seat, an insurance premium can be determinedby the game server or a player character who provides insurance.

According to one embodiment, a player can place market orders up to thevalue of the cash in his virtual account he has established with anexchange. Alternatively, the exchange can issue credit to a playercharacter that allows the player character to place market orders inexcess of the value of the virtual money he has in his exchange account.Such margin account may be “guaranteed” by a virtual and/or real creditcard or other financial instruments, including real stocks and/or bondsand/or lines of credit.

According to one embodiment, the dates that orders are specified can bein game “virtual” time or in real world time.

According to one embodiment, exchanges may be open 24 hours a day, sevendays a week, or may conform to any other schedule such as those followedby real world markets and/or as the game manufacturer or playercharacters or the exchanges themselves may establish from time to time.The game may require the game character to confirm a buy or sell orderbefore consummation of the transaction, even if the transaction isautomated. Such confirmation may be made while playing the game and/orvia notices sent to and received from any one or more of an e-mailaccount (within the game and/or in the real world), voice mail or textmessages.

According to one embodiment, when a player character places a sell orderon a game attribute, the game attribute can be placed in escrow or itcan remain in the possession of the player character until it has beensold on the exchange. If a player character is not able to deliver anitem that he has sold on an exchange, the market value of that item andor a fee can be charged to the player character account.

According to one embodiment, if a player character fails to deliver agame attribute listed for sale and/or fails to pay for a purchased gameattribute, that player character may be precluded from furthertransactions for a period of time or indefinitely and/or until hedelivers the attribute and/or makes payment in full. Moreover, the usermay have to pay a premium for any subsequent transactions or for acertain period of time.

According to one embodiment, players can pay an extra up front ormonthly fee so that their player characters can (i) have the right toown a seat on exchange (ii) have the right to have an exchange accountand or (iii) have the right to sell a game attribute to an exchange.

According to one embodiment, a player character who owns a seat on anexchange can purchase insurance from other player characters, a separatebut connected server that provides this service, and/or the game serverto cover trades when player characters who place orders on the exchangecannot fill the order. Insurance can be purchased for a certain virtualor real dollar amount that is commensurate with or otherwise based uponthe credit risk taken by the insurance provider. Risk can be determinedby (i) the credit scores of all player characters who have an accountwith the exchange (ii) the total margin dollars in use by the playercharacters who have an account with the exchange, or (iii) a combinationof the rate of failed or fraudulent transactions for all transactions ora subgroup or specific type of transactions for recent or long termtransactions and/or any other variables.

For example, a player character short sells 2000 virtual pine timberplanks for $3 virtual dollars per plank. The price of virtual pineskyrockets to $10 per plank, and the short seller cannot cover the$14000 virtual cash loss plus the fees. The player character who ownsthe exchange seat has to guaranty the transaction, so is obligated topay the $14000 in virtual cash when the short seller defaults. Theplayer character who owns the exchange can file a claim on his exchangeinsurance to cover the loss.

According to one embodiment, other player characters can vote to force aplayer character who owns an exchange seat to sell it. For instance aplayer character who owns an exchange seat is driving up the price of agame attribute by limiting supply. Other player characters can vote withthe central server or player character government to force the playercharacter to sell his seat on the exchange. The exchange seat is put onthe market and sold to the highest bidder.

According to one embodiment, an exchange can be run as an auction. Theplayer character running the auction can either act as the auctioneer orhire an NPC to be the auctioneer.

According to one embodiment, a Dutch auction exchange allows a playercharacter to post a game attribute or group of game attributes for saleat a range of prices. The attribute(s) are placed for sale at thehighest price in the range and the price is periodically lowered to thebottom end of the range until the attribute(s) have sold.

According to one embodiment, exchanges may only be able to trade certainattributes during certain periods of a game (e.g. certain eras, certaintimes of days, days of a week, or any combination of these, etc.). Forinstance, a given game may specify that iron can be trades in eras 3-4of a game environment, but not eras 1-2. However, the game may alsospecify that futures for these items may be purchased at any time. Inthis manner, as game servers move through eras (or other time periods),futures traders can anticipate and exploit the use of raw materialsbetween game servers.

According to one embodiment, exchanges may only be available in certaincities or other areas of a game environment that have discovered and orimplemented a certain technology in the game.

According to one embodiment, exchange seats and accounts may only beavailable to player characters of a certain level, race, class, and orwho have acquired certain skills.

According to one embodiment, certain governments may allow only certaintypes of markets, i.e. orcs can only have Dutch auctions but notexchanges.

According to one embodiment, certain game attributes may only be sold incertain types of marketplace(s).

According to one embodiment, exchanges can be placed in a gameenvironment, between game servers, between games, or in some othersuitable location. Player characters can use an exchange placed in agame environment to buy and sell items within a game environment. Playercharacters can use an exchange placed between game servers to buy andsell items between two servers of the same game i.e. World of WarcraftServer 1 and 2. Player characters can use an exchange placed betweengames to buy and sell items between two entirely different games, i.e.World of Warcraft and Second Life.

According to one embodiment, attributes exchanged may need to beverified as authentic. Each game server may create and attach a digitalsignature to one or more game attribute(s). When an item is exchanged,its digital signature may be verified before the transaction iscompleted. If the item does not have an adequate digital signature, thenit is returned to its owner and a penalty is charge. Each item may alsohave a unique inventory number.

According to one embodiment, the owner of an item is stored with itsinventory number and transferred when the item is exchanged. If an itemthat is being exchanged has an inventory number and owner number that donot match to a central database, then the item is returned to its owneror destroyed and a fee is charged to the owner.

According to one embodiment, the per transaction or monthly fee that aseat exchange owner can charge to a player character with an exchangeaccount can be based on that player character's credit score.

According to one embodiment, an attribute may have more than oneinventory item number to permit conversion of an attribute from one gameto another. The item may also have a real or virtual bar code and/or anID tag number.

According to one embodiment, the exchanges available on a given gameserver or game environment can be limited based on the resourcesavailable on that game server.

According to one embodiment, an attribute may have a static or variableconversion rate or factor to provide a means to convert game attributesfrom one game to another, or from one era to another or from one areawithin a game to another. For example, a gallon of oil may translateinto two gallons of oil when traded from War Craft to Second Life.

Moreover, other conversions may be permitted, for example, a barrel ofoil may be converted into 10000 thistle seeds within a game environment,and/or a barrel of oil may be converted to 5000 thistle seeds whenexchanged between two games such as War Craft and Second Life. Multipleitem exchanges may also be supported, e.g., a barrel of oil and 10,000thistle seeds may be exchanged for 100 axes.

Static conversion tables or rates may be maintained by the system, or anautomated trading system, one or more player characters, and/or NPC's,or by an exchange, or via the open market, or any combination of thesealternatives.

According to one embodiment, the game server can set a maximum tradeamount per time period on currency and other resources both in the gameenvironment and between game environments. This amount could be based onany one or more of:

-   -   1. The total amount of a resource available in a game parameter    -   2. The amount per player character of a resource available in a        game parameter    -   3. The amount of open buy orders for a resource in a game        environment    -   4. The amount of open sell orders for a resource in a game        environment    -   5. Any other factors and/or rules and regulations as disclosed        herein above.

According to one embodiment, each game environment could have multipletypes of currency that can be traded on an exchange within the gameenvironment. For example, Orcs could have Orc Dollars and Humans couldhave Human Dollars.

Furthemore, each game environment can have multiple currencies that canbe exchanged with other game environments through either intra orinter-game server currency trades. For instance, gold on one server ofWorld of Warcraft may be worth more than gold on another server becauseone server is more developed or more desirable to play on and/or thegold in one game may be more fully backed by real currency and/or otherreal financial instruments, making such virtual currency or attributesmore or less secure/risky.

Moreover multiple currencies can be exchanged between two distinctgames. For example, the gold and silver of World of Warcraft can betraded with Linden Dollars and Linden Yen.

Alternatively or additionally, each game environment can have a uniqueset of currencies that can be exchanged with a set of currencies that isa global set of currencies for multiple game environments. For example.World of Warcraft Server 1 gold and World of Warcraft Server 2 gold canbe exchanged for World of Warcraft Gold, which can then be exchangedwith Linden Dollars.

As a further embodiment, virtual currency, game attributes, etc., may betraded on real exchanges within the real world.

According to one embodiment, seats on exchanges can be made available ingame environments when those game environments reach certainqualification criteria such as a number of players, a certain virtualasset value, a certain age, etc.

According to one embodiment, in order for a game to be listed on anexchange, it may be required to comply with a universal size system sothat the objects created in the game can be used in other games.Alternatively, a conversion table or rate may be employed to provideexchange among games or to provide a bartering system within a game,e.g., trading oil for thistle seed.

According to one embodiment, certain natural resources may only be madeavailable within certain game parameters. For instance, wood may only begrown within some game environments and then traded on exchanges to beimported into other game environments.

According to one embodiment, exchange seats may be bought and sold onexchanges. Moreover, player characters who own exchange seats may beforced to sell their seats via a majority vote or by another appointedor anointed governing body if they are not being fair. Rules to preventcollusion between exchange seat owners can also be set up and enforcedby the game server or by other player characters who can regulate theexchanges. Player character governments can specify the rules forexchanges that exchange seat owners have to abide with in order to keeptheir exchange seat. A player characters can be forced by the gameserver or by an in game government run by other player characters tosell their exchange seat if they break the rules of the exchange.According to one embodiment, the player character or the game server candetermine the value of options and futures for game items based on thequantity available and being traded.

If a game environment is managed by a government, that government canlevy a tax on all items that are imported into or exported out of thegame server via exchanges

Examples of virtual assets that can be traded on Exchanges include, butare not limited to:

-   -   1. Options, puts, calls, etc.    -   2. Player Characters or avatars    -   3. In Game Resources or attributes    -   4. Player Created Game Items    -   5. Stock of a game businesses    -   6. In game currency    -   7. Bonds of in game businesses    -   8. Bonds of in game cities    -   9. Blueprints and Patents of game items    -   10. Stock in game environments    -   11. Virtual and or Currency    -   12. Game Attributes created by Player Characters    -   13. Game Attributes created by the Game Server or NPCs    -   14. Natural resources    -   15. Player Characters    -   16. Exchange Seats    -   17. Stock in virtual game companies    -   18. Contracts that one Player Character has with another Player        Character    -   19. Labor of certain skill types and levels    -   20. Resources, raw or finished goods or services    -   21. Blueprint licenses (exclusive or non exclusive)    -   22. Blueprint assignments    -   23. Songs    -   24. Videos    -   25. Images    -   26. Products    -   27. Software applications and/or libraries, languages, SDKs,        tools, objects or portions thereof    -   28. Interface specifications    -   29. Any other objects permitted or are otherwise in existence        within a game.

In an another embodiment, a central system can act as an exchangebetween several game environments. At first, a limited number of gameenvironments may be available to player characters for purchase. One ormore player characters can buy a game environment, and configure therules for other player characters to play in the game environment. Thevalue created in the game environment by player characters can be soldon the central exchange. Player characters coming into the game canselect a game environment where they want to play based on statisticsabout the laws and size of all or some of the game environments. Playercharacters who perform well in other player character game environmentscan earn the right to buy a new game environment or character within anew game environment when it is released by the central server.

According to one embodiment, there may be a number of game environmentpoints that can be spent on natural resources. Player characters thatown the game environment can select the natural resources that areavailable in their game (this could be, for example, a per turnreplenishing amount, a fixed amount of each type by era, or just a fixedamount at the beginning of the game environment that is used up ortraded over time). A piece of all trading done by player characters inthe game environment can be given to the central system in the form ofmoney or a percent of goods, etc. The money collected by the gameparameter controllers can be used to purchase items from other gameparameters to make their game parameter more desirable (buildingdesigns, weapons in missions, etc.)

According to one embodiment, the system may provide for inter-game andIntra-game stock exchange of companies..

According to one embodiment, player characters or other game attributescan be sold between game servers of the same game and/or among thosegames that provide for conversion rates or exchanges for characters orany game attributes between one or more heterogeneous games. Such salesmay be managed, for example, by an intra-server player characterauction.

According to one embodiment, Dutch Auctions may allow player charactersto post an item or resource, or group of items or resources and set arange of prices at which the items can be sold. A first price is setwith a first time limit. A second price is set with a second time limit,and so on. When the first time limit is reached, the price is dropped tothe second price and so on, until the item or group of items has sold.The price could be for some of the total amount of items, or may be forall items. i.e. a player character can specify that all items must besold in one transaction, or the items can be sold in multipletransactions.

According to one embodiment, goods sold could come with a warranty. Ifan item wears out, it can be replaced using the warranty.

Alternatively or additionally, users may exchange real world goods andservices for virtual goods and services. An exchange could be createdthat specifies real world goods available along with a list of virtualgoods that the player character is willing to exchange them for. Forexample, a player character could post an actual computer that theywould like to trade for 100 wood planks in a game environment.

According to one embodiment, every player character in a gameenvironment may have created a certain amount of virtual wealth in thatgame environment that is measurable. The sum of all that virtual wealth(less debt if any) can be considered the virtual value of the gameenvironment. This virtual value can be listed on an intra or inter-gameexchange. The virtual wealth of a player character in the gameenvironment can be exchanged for shares of the game environment. Thus,game environments with healthier economies can trade for more value thangame environments with weaker economies. Alternatively, a gameenvironment can “go public” i.e., make an initial public offering, byissuing and offering shares on an exchange. Every player character withpositive net wealth or with appropriate credit (real or virtual) on theexchange can receive shares in the game environment equal to the amountof wealth and/or credit he has. The in game wealth and the gameenvironment stock can be traded on separate exchanges.

According to one embodiment, IPO's of game environments can occur whenthe stock exchange has been discovered in the game environment, when thegame environment reaches a certain age in real or virtual time, when thegame environment reaches a certain level of wealth, when the gameenvironment reaches a certain player character population, when the gameenvironment discovers a certain technology, or any other trigger orevent that permits the existence of a stock exchange, including, but notlimited to, a vote or other permitted action taken by one or more playercharacters. Player Characters in the game environment may race orcompete to create wealth in the game environment so that the gameenvironment reaches the IPO trigger or threshold more quickly and/orwith the highest possible valuation.

Alternatively, a player character or group of player characters whocontrol a game environment can issue stock or stock options in that gameenvironment to player characters who want to play in that gameenvironment. Players can post their player character history and receivestock or stock option offers from different game environments to play inthem.

Player characters running each game environment could try to recruit thebest group of players to form characters in their game environment sothat they can build the wealth within that environment more quickly.Rather than game environments, player characters that govern cities, arethe head of families or other groups, or run businesses in gameenvironments could offer stock or stock options in the city or businessto motivate a new player character to be a part of their city, business,or family.

A central server can charge a monthly fee to allow players to havecharacters in various game environments that are created and managed byother players. A portion of the monthly fee can be paid to the playersmanaging a game environment based on the amount of time a player playswith characters in that game environment. Alternatively, a player cancharge a daily fee for another player to have characters in hisenvironment. A portion of the daily fee can be remitted to the centralserver in exchange for maintaining the game environment.

According to one embodiment, player characters and/or entire gameenvironments that have created virtual and/or real value/wealth, maychoose to offer stock in the game on a real stock exchange. Upon theissuance of actual stock in a real stock exchange, player characterswould receive and/or have the option to receive real stockcertificates/shares in proportion to their ownership of the virtualcompany as translated into real stock. Such translation may be on aone-to-one basis, or based upon each player character's prorate share ofreal to virtual shares, or any other method of conversion as agreed uponby the player characters that own such characters and/or game.

FIG. 4 provides an exemplary system 400 that may be used to provide theembodiment described above. As shown, system 400 may include a mastergame server 402, an exchange server 404, and an game environment server406.

Exchange Server 404 may include or host various programs, routines,subroutines and/or databases including, but not limited to an exchangedatabase 408, an exchange open offers database 410, and an exchangetransaction database 412.

Exchange Database 408 may include information such as, but not limitedto:

-   -   1. Exchange ID    -   2. Exchange Type    -   3. Exchange seats 1-n    -   4. Allowable assets 1-n    -   5. Exchange Seat Price    -   6. Maximum Exchange Seats allowed    -   7. Exchange Seats Issued    -   8. Remaining Exchange Seats available    -   9. Exchange Seat Price    -   10. Exchange Seat Qualifying conditions 1-n

Exchange Open Offers Database 410 may include information such as, butnot limited to:

-   -   1. Offer ID    -   2. Offer Type    -   3. Offer posting Date    -   4. Offer expiration date    -   5. Offer Item    -   6. Offer QTY    -   7. Offer Price

Exchange Transaction Database 412 may include information such as, butnot limited to:

-   -   1. Order ID    -   2. Order Buyer    -   3. Order Seller    -   4. Order Date    -   5. Order Price    -   6. Order Type    -   7. Order terms and conditions

Game Environment Server may include or host various programs, routines,subroutines and/or databases including, but not limited to a playerdatabase 414, a player character database 416, an exchange open offersdatabase 418, and an exchange transaction database 420.

Player Database 414 may include information such as, but not limited to:

-   -   1. Player ID    -   2. Player Billing Info    -   3. Player Personal Info    -   4. Player Exchange Seat ID

Player Character Database 416 may include information such as, but notlimited to:

-   -   1. Character ID    -   2. Player ID    -   3. Character Assets    -   4. Exchange Seat Owner Account Number    -   5. Exchange Seat Number

Exchange Open Offers Database 418 may include information such as, butnot limited to:

-   -   1. Offer ID    -   2. Offer Type    -   3. Offer posting Date    -   4. Offer expiration date    -   5. Offer Item    -   6. Offer QTY    -   7. Offer Price

Exchange Transaction Database 420 may include information such as, butnot limited to:

-   -   1. Order ID    -   2. Order Buyer    -   3. Order Seller    -   4. Order Date    -   5. Order Price    -   6. Order Type    -   7. Order terms and conditions

System 400 may be configured to create an exchange by performing stepssuch as:

-   -   1. Receive a request to create an exchange, including the types        of virtual assets to be traded on the exchange, the seats        available on the exchange, the fee structure of the exchange,        and the player character(s) who own the exchange    -   2. Determine if a permit is available to create the exchange    -   3. Generate and Output a permit price based on the exchange        creation request    -   4. Receive an acceptance of the price    -   5. Create Exchange

System 400 may be configured to allow a player character to register agame environment on an exchange by performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive a request to register a game environment on the        exchange    -   2. Determine if game environment qualifies to be registered on        the exchange    -   3. Register game environment on exchange

System 400 may be configured to allow a player character to sell anexchange seat by performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive a request to purchase an exchange seat from a player        character    -   2. Generate an exchange seat value    -   3. Output an exchange seat value to player character    -   4. Receive acceptance of exchange seat value from player        character    -   5. Withdraw exchange seat value from player character account    -   6. Issue exchange seat to player character

System 400 may be configured to allow a player character to create anaccount with an exchange seat owner by performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive a request from a player character to create an        account with an exchange seat owner    -   2. Determine account fee structure    -   3. Output fee structure to player character    -   4. Receive acceptance of fee structure    -   5. Create account

System 400 may be configured to allow a player character to purchase anitem on an exchange with a margin account by performing steps such as:

Receive a request to purchase an item

Fill request to purchase an item

Withdraw virtual purchase price from account holder

If there are not enough funds to pay for item,

Determine if the account has a margin sub account

If the account has a margin sub account, withdraw funds from margin subaccount or

If the account does not have a margin sub account, retrieve credit cardassociated with player character account

Determine a real cash value for the virtual purchase price

Charge real cash value to credit card

Convert real cash value into virtual cash

Withdraw virtual cash from account

System 400 may be configured to allow a player character to sell an itemon exchange by performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive a request from an account holder to sell a virtual        asset, including a virtual item, a selling price, a warranty,        and insurance    -   2. Determine if asset is authentic    -   3. Determine if the asset can be sold on the exchange based on        the trade volume of that asset or similar items on the exchange    -   4. If item is authentic and trade volume permits, post asset for        sale on exchange.    -   5. Receive purchase request for asset    -   6. Determine fees    -   7. Withdraw purchase price and fees from buyer    -   8. Transmit item to buyer    -   9. Transmit purchase price, less fees to seller

System 400 may be configured to determine the authenticity of an item byperforming steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive a virtual asset to post on exchange    -   2. Determine if serial number of item is valid and that item        descriptor matches descriptor of item described with that serial        number    -   3. Determine if an asset is posted or has previously sold on any        other exchange that has an identical blueprint and or serial        number    -   4. If serial number is valid and no other items are posted or        have been posted on an exchange, post item for sale on exchange.

System 400 may be configured to alter an item based on conversion rateafter it is sold by performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive an indication that an item has been sold from one        game environment to another    -   2. Determine conversion rate for item    -   3. Altering the item based on the conversion rate

System 400 may be configured to create a futures contract by performingsteps such as:

1. Receive a request to buy or sell a fixed number of units of virtualasset at a specified later date for a specified unit price from a playercharacter

-   -   2. Generate or Retrieve a per unit virtual cash futures contract        price to fulfill the request    -   3. Output per unit virtual futures contract cash price to player        character    -   4. Receive an acceptance of the futures contract price from the        player character    -   5. Create a virtual futures contract, including the fixed number        of units of the virtual asset, the specified unit price, the        specified date, and the futures contract price.

System 400 may be configured to sell a futures contract by performingsteps such as:

-   -   1. Receive a request to sell a futures contract from a first        player character    -   2. Determine if date of contract has not expired    -   3. If date of contract has not expired, retrieve or generate a        contract price    -   4. Output contract price to first player character    -   5. Receive acceptance of contract price from a second player        character    -   6. Transfer contract to second player character and transfer        contract price, less applicable fees, to first player character

According to yet another embodiment, the present invention provides forthe Initial Public Offering (IPO) of Game Environments on an Inter-GameEnvironment Exchange. This embodiment allows players who have eitherpaid for the privilege, come first, or reached a certain skill or wealthlevel, to purchase and manage their own game environment. Each gameenvironment shares a server or resides on its own server or group of twoor more servers and has a list of resources and points available to beattributed to each resource on the list. The player character assignsthe points to various resources, which define the resources availablefor that particular game environment. The player character is then ableto recruit other player characters to begin cities or other virtualenvironments in the game environment created. Those player characterscan then recruit other player characters to be citizens in the cities.Player characters can build in-game objects from resources and gameitems created by other player characters. Game items may be registeredwith a central patent office as described in detail above and can onlybe created by one player character playing in a game environment. Gameitems, resources, and blueprints to create game items can be exchangedbetween game environments.

According to one embodiment, each player character can receive stockand/or stock options in the game environment. An IPO date can be set foreach game environment on an intra server exchange. The value of the gameenvironment may be based on the GDP of the game environment or any othermeans that measures the relative value or present or future value of thegame environment.

According to one embodiment, player characters who earn the most wealthin a game environment can earn the right to buy and start a new gameenvironment.

As stated above, according to one embodiment, game item designs can beregistered with a central Patent office for all game environments andthose item designs cannot be created again. Patents on designs in thegame environments can expire just as they do in the real world so thatsome item designs are in the public domain after a certain time period.The virtual lifespan of a patent can be variable based on the era or ageof the game environment. For instance, the blueprint of an item createdin the first era of the game can have a longer virtual life than ablueprint created in a later era of the game.

In each game environment, a player character can view the designs ofitems registered with the patent office and purchase them to make gameitems. Player characters can use resources, skills, NPCs, and other gameitems to assemble new game items that can be sold on exchanges in thegame environment and between other game environments.

According to one embodiment, a levy or tax may be given to the gameenvironment owner on all transactions. The player character that ownsthe game environment can set a tax amount that other player charactersmust pay on all transactions done in the game environment. This taxamount could be the GDP that is used to determine the valuation of theIPO.

According to one embodiment, shares in game environments, businesses ingame environments, and player characters can be sold to other playercharacters entering the game environments.

Non-limiting examples of items that can be configured by the owner ofthe game environment include:

-   -   1. Resources    -   2. Available Skills and Maximum Levels    -   3. Game Play Types    -   4. Taxes    -   5. Permits    -   6. Government Types    -   7. Exchange Types    -   8. Types of Businesses and Max number of each business type    -   9. Mission types and quantities along with allowed rewards    -   10. Magic spells    -   11. Missions can be invented and implemented in the game        environments. They also can be exchanged between game        environments    -   12. Blueprint licenses

According to one embodiment, the IPO of a game environment may be basedon a pre-established time limit.

According to one embodiment, as a player creates characters in variousonline game environments, a virtual resume of his characters and theirattributes may be created and stored. When petitioning to build acharacter in a game environment, a player can submit a virtual resume toone or more players who control the game environment. The monthly feefor playing the game, the number of virtual stock shares or options ofthe game environment, and other criteria may be determined based on aplayer's virtual resume. The player may then be allowed to enter thegame environment under terms and conditions that are established whollyor in part by the credentials verified by his virtual resume.

According to one embodiment, the game environment takes a piece (or tax)of all virtual or real money that changes hands in the game. This taxhas a real world dollar value, which can be used to determine an IPOvalue of the game environment

According to one embodiment, player characters create virtual assets inthe game environment. When the game environment goes public, theirassets in the game can be converted into shares of a virtual company.

According to one embodiment, player characters may be required to paytaxes to the game environment in which they are playing. They canspecify what resources they want the game environment to purchase orobtain with the tax dollars.

According to one embodiment, a game environment can be sold to a playercharacter for real cash, virtual cash, stocks, options, lines of creditor loans, or a mix of any or all of these in an upfront or ongoingamount. That Player Character can sell mayor seats for real cash,virtual cash, or a mix in an upfront or ongoing amount. Mayors can sellmonthly play time in their cities for real cash, virtual cash, or a mixin an upfront or ongoing amount. The structure can set up as a pyramidsystem where a percentage of each player's monthly and or upfront feesflow up through various levels of the game parameter hierarchy. Eachmember of the hierarchy receives a specified percentage of the real cashvirtual fee a player pays to have a character in the game environment aswell as a percentage of the virtual assets created by that playercharacter during play time in the game environment.

According to one embodiment, in the event of an IPO, the value of allthe assets in a game environment may be determined. A number of sharesto be sold may then be determined, and a value placed on them based onthe assets of the game environment and/or the number of shares issuedand outstanding and/or the total number and value of stock options andtheir strike prices, etc. The shares may be registered on an exchangewhere they can be purchased. The proceeds of the IPO may be given eitherto the owner(s) of the game environment or to the game environmentaccount. Methods of establishing and operating a virtual exchange aredescribed in greater detail above. Asset values can also be determinedbased on the exchange prices for those items on inter game environmentexchanges.

According to one embodiment, when creating a game environment, a certainnumber of shares of that game environment may be created and issued bythe game environment owner. Shares can also be allocated to cover stockoptions issued to other player characters. Shares can additionally becreated when the virtual assets of the game environment are determinedbefore an IPO.

According to one embodiment, a virtual asset in a game environment canbe given a value based on a multiple of the asset's virtual cash valueor on a multiple of the underlying natural resource that can be salvagedfrom the asset. Shares of the game environment can be issued in exchangefor the assets by determining a share price. A share price could bedetermined by taking the virtual cash value of the assets in a gameenvironment and summing them to determine total game environment value.

For example, the virtual cash value of all the assets of a given gameenvironment could be $2,000,000. A stock multiplier of 2 may be appliedto the value to determine that the game environment is worth $4,000,000.If 1,000,000 units of stock were initially issued to the player who ownsthe game environment, and 20,000 units of stock were set aside to coveroptions of player characters participating in the game environment, the1,020,000 units of stock would be worth $3.92 per share. A playercharacter in the game environment might own a sword that sells on anexchange for $250. At the time of IPO, the player character can eitherkeep the sword or exchange it for shares of the game environment at aconversion rate of $3.92 per share, or 63.77 shares. If the playerelects to exchange the sword for shares, the account of the gameenvironment issues 63.77 shares to the player character and takes thesword into inventory.

If 27,000 shares of stock are exchanged for assets in the gameenvironment and 100,000 units of stock are registered to be sold at theIPO for $3.92 per share, at the IPO, there would be 1,147,000 shares ofthe game environment in existence. The game environment would then havea virtual market value of $4,496,240 where the owner of the gameenvironment has stock in the game environment worth $3,920,000, the newshare holders own $392,000 worth of stock in the game environment, thestock option holders hold options to buy $78,400 worth of stock, playercharacters who owned assets in the game environment hold $105,840 ofstock, and the treasury of the game environment holds $392,000 invirtual cash and $105,840 of virtual assets. The value of the stockcould then fluctuate based on its market value on the exchange.

According to one embodiment, the number of game environments availablecan be limited based on the number of player characters playing, themarket value of all game environments, or any other criteria.

According to one embodiment, player characters would have to pay a realcash up front and monthly fee to manage and own a game environment.

According to one embodiment, the rules and regulations controlling anin-game or multiple game exchange may be established by the gamemanufacturer and/or one or more duly authorized players and/or any dulyauthorized virtual government or other governing body and/or a usergroup and/or a consortium of game manufacturers and/or of game playersor any combination of any of the forgoing and, which laws, rules andregulations may be based in part or in whole upon those laws, rules,regulations and precedence of those of the United States of Americaand/or the SEC, and/or the US Stock Exchange, and/or NASDAQ, and/or theAmerican Stock Exchange, all of which laws, rules, regulations, andprecedence's based upon US case law are hereby incorporated by referencein their entirety for all purposes.

According to one embodiment, player characters and/or entire gameenvironments that have created virtual and/or real value/wealth, maychoose to offer stock in the game on a real world stock exchange such asthe NASDAQ. Upon the issuance of actual stock in a real stock exchange,player characters would receive and/or have the option to receive realstock certificates/shares in proportion to and/or in exchange for theirownership of the virtual company as translated into real stock. Suchtranslation may be on a one-to-one basis, or based upon each playercharacter's pro rated share of real to virtual shares, or any othermethod of conversion as agreed upon by the player characters that ownsuch characters and/or game shares and/or as otherwise agreed to by theplayer characters and/or game manufacturers or any other duly appointedand authorized body to determine such valuation, and/or based upon amajority and/or super majority vote by all affected game players and/oronly by those holding virtual shares and then only in proportion totheir pro-rata share amounts and/or based upon their preexisting orsubsequently established voting rights, which may be determined basedupon their number of shares or based on the value of their shares and/ortheir exercise price for their options and the like. The expiration of apatent on a blueprint can be based on the date the blueprint was filed,or the date that a patent was issued for the blueprint

According to one embodiment, the monthly fee that a player pays to havea character in a game environment can be related to the transaction andtax fees that player pays when he conducts business in or between thegame environments. For example, a player paying $20 a month could haveno fees on transactions on game exchanges while a player paying $10 amonth would have to pay 3% commission on all transactions conducted onan exchange.

According to one embodiment, the master server, game environmentservers, patent office server, exchange server, and bank server cancharge per transaction fees or taxes to all transactions between playercharacters. In the event an item is traded on an exchange, the exchangeseat holders, the buyer, the seller, the game environment owners, andthe game environment government can all charge and be charged a pertransaction or percentage fee when an item is exchanged.

FIG. 5 provides an exemplary system 500 that may be used to provide theembodiment described above. As shown, system 500 may include a pluralityof servers such as a master game server 502, game environment server504, exchange server 506, patent server 508, and bank server 510.

Master Game Server 502 may manage the registration of all gameenvironment servers, exchange servers, bank servers, and the patentserver. The master game server may include or host various programs,routines, or subroutines 512 and databases 522 including, but notlimited to:

-   -   1. Game Environment creation program    -   2. Game Environment management program    -   3. Game Environment IPO program    -   4. Game Environment Database, which may include information such        as, but not limited to:        -   a. Game Environment ID        -   b. Player Owners 1-n        -   c. Percentage Ownership 1-n        -   d. Configuration Settings 1-n        -   e. Creation Date        -   f. IPO Date        -   g. Monthly billing fee configuration    -   5. Allowed Exchange Database, which may include information such        as, but not limited to:        -   a. Maximum number of exchanges (by type) allowed        -   b. Number of exchange (by type) issued        -   c. Available exchanges by type        -   d. Fee to open new exchange    -   6. Active Exchange Database, which may include information such        as, but not limited to:        -   a. Exchange ID        -   b. Exchange Type        -   c. Exchange Conditions        -   d. Registered Exchange Seats        -   e. Maximum Number of Exchange Seats        -   f. Issued Exchange Seats        -   g. Exchange Seats Available    -   7. Allowed Bank Database, which may include information such as,        but not limited to:        -   a. Maximum number of banks (by type) allowed        -   b. Number of banks (by type) issued        -   c. Available Banks (by type)        -   d. Fee to open new bank    -   8. Active Bank Database, which may include information such as,        but not limited to:        -   a. Bank ID        -   b. Bank Type        -   c. Bank Rules and Conditions        -   d. Registered bank owners    -   9. Player Database, which may include information such as, but        not limited to:        -   a. Player ID        -   b. Player Characters 1-n        -   c. Player Billing info        -   d. Exchange Seats owned        -   e. Exchanges owned 1-n        -   f. Banks owned 1-n    -   10. Master Rules and Conditions Database, which may include        information such as, but not limited to:        -   a. Game Environment Rules and Conditions Parameters 1-n        -   b. Exchange Condition Rules and Parameters 1-n    -   11. Bank Condition Rules and Parameters 1-n

Game Environment Server 504 may include one or more servers that arecontrolled by players and are configured manage gameplay based on rulesand conditions set by the players and registered with the master gameserver. The game environment server may include or host variousprograms, routines, or subroutines 514 and databases 524 including, butnot limited to:

-   -   1. Game Environment set up program    -   2. Game Environment Management Program    -   3. Game Environment IPO Program    -   4. Player Database, which may include information such as, but        not limited to:        -   a. Player ID        -   b. Player Characters 1-n        -   c. Billing Configuration 1-n        -   d. Billing information        -   e. Personal information        -   f. Player assets 1-n    -   5. Raw Material Database, which may include information such as,        but not limited to:        -   a. Raw Material ID        -   b. Type        -   c. Location        -   d. First Date Available        -   e. Conditions for use        -   f. Conditions for discovery        -   g. Conditions for availability        -   h. Max Quantity Allowed        -   i. Quantity Issued        -   j. Quantity Remaining        -   k. License or Permit Fee        -   l. Available Era(s)    -   6. NPC Database, which may include information such as, but not        limited to:        -   a. NPC ID        -   b. Type        -   c. Location        -   d. Conditions for Use        -   e. Conditions for availability        -   f. Max Quantity Allowed        -   g. Quantity Issued        -   h. Quantity Remaining        -   i. License or Permit Fee        -   j. Available Era(s)    -   7. Skill Database which may include information such as, but not        limited to:        -   a. Skill ID        -   b. Type        -   c. Conditions for Use        -   d. Conditions for Availability        -   e. Max Quantity Allowed        -   f. Quantity Issued        -   g. Quantity Remaining        -   h. License or Permit Fee        -   i. Available Era(s)    -   8. Era Database which may include information such as, but not        limited to:        -   a. Era ID        -   b. Date Range    -   9. Exchange Multiplier Database which may include information        such as, but not limited to:        -   a. Exchange ID        -   b. Multiplier Number    -   10. Player Database which may include information such as, but        not limited to:        -   a. Player ID        -   b. Characters 1-n        -   c. Billing Information        -   d. Personal Information    -   11. Player Character Database which may include information such        as, but not limited to:        -   a. Character ID        -   b. Player ID        -   c. Assets 1-n        -   d. Skills 1-n        -   e. Obligations 1-n    -   12. Rules and Conditions Database which may include information        such as, but not limited to:        -   a. Rule ID        -   b. Rule Descriptor        -   c. Rule Type    -   13. Fee structure database which may include information such        as, but not limited to:        -   a. Fee ID        -   b. Fee Structure        -   c. Fee Type        -   d. Fee Amount

Exchange Server 506 may include one or more servers configured tofacilitate the exchange of virtual assets between game environments. Theexchange server may include or host various programs, routines, orsubroutines 516 and databases 526 including, but not limited to:

-   -   1. IPO Program

Exchange Program

-   -   2. Exchange Database which may include information such as, but        not limited to:        -   a. Exchange ID        -   b. Exchange Type        -   c. Exchange seats 1-n        -   d. Allowable assets 1-n        -   e. Exchange Seat Price        -   f. Maximum Exchange Seats allowed        -   g. Exchange Seats Issued        -   h. Remaining Exchange Seats available        -   i. Exchange Seat Price        -   j. Exchange Seat Qualifying conditions 1-n    -   3. Exchange Open Offers Database which may include information        such as, but not limited to:        -   a. Offer ID        -   b. Offer Type        -   c. Offer posting Date        -   d. Offer expiration date        -   e. Offer Item        -   f. Offer QTY        -   g. Offer Price    -   4. Exchange Transaction Database which may include information        such as, but not limited to:        -   a. Order ID        -   b. Order Buyer        -   c. Order Seller        -   d. Order Date        -   e. Order Price        -   f. Order Type        -   g. Order terms and conditions    -   5. Exchange Seat Database which may include information such as,        but not limited to:        -   a. Exchange Seat ID        -   b. Player ID        -   c. Exchange Seat Type        -   d. Exchange ID    -   6. Exchange Seat Account Database which may include information        such as, but not limited to:        -   a. Account Id        -   b. Character ID        -   c. Fee Configuration        -   d. Account Transaction History        -   e. Account Assets 1-n

Patent Server 508 may act as the central system to receive itemblueprints, issue patents on blueprints, and manage patented itemblueprints. Patent server 508 may include or host various programs,routines, or subroutines 518 and databases 528 including, but notlimited to:

-   -   1. File Blueprint Program    -   2. Register Blueprint Program    -   3. Expire Blueprint Program    -   4. Registered Blueprint Database        -   a. Blueprint ID        -   b. Blueprint Inventor        -   c. Blueprint Assignee        -   d. Blueprint Class        -   e. Blueprint Subclass        -   f. Blueprint Status        -   g. Blueprint Content        -   h. Skills Required to assemble item from blueprint        -   i. Blueprints required to assemble blueprint        -   j. Resources required to assemble blueprint        -   k. Blueprint Registration Date        -   l. Blueprint Royalty Configuration        -   m. Examiner ID        -   n. Max quantity        -   o. Quantity remaining        -   p. Quantity sold        -   q. Expiration Date        -   r. Expiration Quantity    -   5. Examiner Database        -   a. Examiner ID        -   b. Examiner Class        -   c. Examiner Subclass        -   d. Examination History

Bank Server 510, may include one or more servers configured to managethe player and player character virtual cash accounts. Bank server 510may include or host various programs, routines, or subroutines 18 anddatabases 530 including, but not limited to:

-   -   1. account management program    -   2. Account Database which may include information such as, but        not limited to:        -   a. Account ID        -   b. Character ID        -   c. Account Balance        -   d. Account Transaction History    -   3. Loan Database which may include information such as, but not        limited to:        -   a. Loan Id        -   b. Loan Origination Date        -   c. Loan terms and conditions        -   d. Loan Payment Schedule        -   e. Loan Payment History

System 500 may be configured to create the rules of a game environmentby performing steps such as:

-   -   1. providing a master server that is configured to        -   a. Receive a request from a player to create a game            environment including a game environment type, and a monthly            fee offer (if applicable)        -   b. Determine if player is eligible to form game environment        -   c. If player is eligible, determine an upfront and monthly            fee for the game environment based on the player resume and            fee determining conditions        -   d. Output offer to provide game environment        -   e. Receive acceptance of offer        -   f. Assemble and Provide Game Environment        -   g. Charge up front fee to player account        -   h. Receive rules and condition configuration from player for            game environment        -   i. Store game environment rules and conditions    -   2. providing a game environment configured to        -   a. Output a request to configure rules and conditions to            player        -   b. Receive rule and request configuration        -   c. Store configuration and transmit to Master Server        -   d. Activate Game Environment based on rule and condition            configuration.

System 500 may be configured to issue stock options in a gameenvironment to player characters by performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive a request from a player to create one or more        characters in a game environment including a player resume        associated with the player character    -   2. Determine a stock or stock option offer based on the player        character resume    -   3. Output offer to player    -   4. Receive acceptance of offer    -   5. Create character account, including options offer.

System 500 may be configured to recruit other players to play in theGame Environment by performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive a request to recruit player characters into a game        environment, including resume criteria and stock or stock option        offers based on resume criteria    -   2. Generate a list of players that fall within resume criteria        settings    -   3. Output stock or stock option contract offers to players based        on resume criteria    -   4. Receive acceptance of offer(s)    -   5. Create new player accounts in game environment including        stock or stock option contracts

System 500 may be configured to exchange Items between game Environmentsby performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive an offer to buy or sell a virtual item on virtual        exchange from a first player who owns a virtual exchange seat    -   2. Determine if item is unique    -   3. Post offer on virtual exchange    -   4. Receive acceptance of offer from a second player who owns a        virtual exchange seat    -   5. Determine game environment multiplier based on game        environments represented by first and second player character    -   6. Alter virtual item based on multiplier    -   7. Transmit item to second player    -   8. Transmit payment for item from second player to first player,        less exchange fee

System 500 may be configured to create an initial public offering of agame environment based on time by performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Determine that enough virtual or real time has lapsed that a        game environment must be taken public    -   2. Determine a share price based on virtual assets of game        environment    -   3. Notify player characters of game environment of share price    -   4. Receive virtual asset to share requests from player        characters in game environment    -   5. Exchange virtual assets to virtual shares based on share        requests and rules and conditions    -   6. Output announcement that game environment will IPO    -   7. Post IPO shares of game environment on virtual stock exchange        at determined IPO share price

System 500 may be configured to create an initial public offering of agame environment based on the asset value of the game environment byperforming steps such as:

-   -   1. Determine Virtual Asset Value of Game Environment    -   2. Determine that asset value requires IPO    -   3. Output announcement that game environment will IPO    -   4. Post IPO shares of game environment on virtual stock exchange

System 500 may be configured to allow a player character to becomeeligible to create a game environment by performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Retrieve a player resume    -   2. Determine if resume qualifies to create a game environment        based on qualification rules and conditions    -   3. Flag resume as qualifying and output notice to player        character that he is eligible to create and manage a game        environment

System 500 may be configured to determine the percentage ownership ofshares of a player character based on asset value by performing stepssuch as:

-   -   1. Determine a total virtual asset value for a game environment        based on virtual assets and valuation rules and conditions    -   2. Generate a percentage ownership of the total virtual asset        value for each player character based on the virtual assets of        the game environment they own    -   3. Convert virtual asset ownership into share ownership of the        game environment for each player character    -   4. Notify player character of asset conversion

System 500 may be configured to create a virtual item blueprint byperforming steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive a virtual item blueprint including: the size, shape,        virtual resources, virtual materials, and virtual items        necessary to create an item    -   2. Determine skills necessary to assemble item based on        blueprint specifications    -   3. Store blueprint with skills required to assemble and item        from the blueprint.

System 500 may be configured to allow a player character to register ablueprint with a patent office by performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive a request to register a blueprint, including        blueprint specifications, a field of use, a player character        inventor, a virtual fee to use a blueprint to assemble and item,        and a creation date    -   2. Generate a list of existing registered blueprints that are        similar to the blueprint    -   3. Determine if blueprint is too similar to existing blueprints.    -   4. If blueprint is too similar, output similar blueprints and        blueprint to patent examiner player character for review    -   5. Receive opinion from patent examiner player character that        blueprint is unique    -   6. Create blueprint registration number    -   7. Issue patent on blueprint Or    -   8. If blueprint is not too similar    -   9. Create blueprint registration number    -   10. Issue patent on blueprint    -   11. System 500 may be configured to Patent Expiration    -   12. Determine that a patent on a blueprint has reached its        expiration date    -   13. Expire patent    -   14. Notify patent holder and licensees that patent has expired.

System 500 may be configured to charge royalties for blueprint use byperforming steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive a request to assemble an item from a blueprint from a        player    -   2. Generate or retrieve a fee to assemble an item from a        blueprint    -   3. Output fee    -   4. Receive acceptance of fee    -   5. Issue one time use virtual blueprint to player.    -   6. Receive indication that blueprint has been used    -   7. Charge usage fee to player    -   8. Transmit fee, less applicable commission, to the account of        the player character who owns a patent on the blueprint

System 500 may be configured to charge taxes on exchange transactions byperforming steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive an indication that an item has been exchanged from        one game environment to another    -   2. Determine a tax fee based on rules and conditions    -   3. Apply tax fee to transaction

System 500 may be configured to allow a player character to create avirtual resume by performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive a play log of a character associated with a player    -   2. Store log with player profile    -   3. Establish resume credentials based on log    -   4. Store credentials with resume

System 500 may be configured to review a virtual resume to allow forcharacter creation by performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive a request to create a character in a game environment        from a player    -   2. Retrieve resume of player    -   3. Determine character settings based on resume and game        environment, including player starting skills, residence,        family, game environment stock option quantity, game environment        stock option strike price, game environment stock, virtual loan        amount, virtual loan interest, entry experience level, etc.    -   4. Output settings    -   5. Receive acceptance of settings    -   6. Create character for player in game environment

System 500 may be configured to allow a player character to exercisestock options by performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Receive a request to exercise a virtual stock option of a        game environment    -   2. Determine if request is possible based on exercise conditions    -   3. If request is possible, determine a virtual cash amount due        based on exercise price of option.    -   4. Output amount due    -   5. Receive payment of amount due    -   6. Release stock of game environment to player character    -   7. Flag option as exercised.

System 500 may be configured to allow a player character to exchangeassets for shares of a game environment before an initial publicoffering by performing steps such as:

-   -   1. Output a virtual IPO cash price of a share of a game        environment to a player character    -   2. Receive a request to exchange an asset for shares from a        player character in the game environment    -   3. Determine the asset value    -   4. Receive the asset into the game environment account    -   5. Transfer stock whose virtual cash value is equal to the        virtual cash value of the asset to the player character

The present disclosure provides numerous systems and methods related tovirtual environments in online computer games. It should be appreciatedthat numerous embodiments are described in detail and that variouscombinations and subcombinations of these embodiments are contemplatedby the present disclosure.

1. A method comprising: providing a first video game environment;receiving a blueprint for a game object from a first player characterinteracting in the first game environment; obtaining a determination ofregistrability for the blueprint; and if the blueprint is registrable,registering the game object in a virtual patent office.
 2. The method ofclaim 1 further comprising providing access to a database of blueprintsfor registered game objects to player characters interacting in thefirst game environment.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the game objectis constructed from one or more materials and the step of obtaining adetermination of registrability comprises determining if the materialsused to construct the object are acceptable.
 4. The method of claim 3wherein determining if the materials used to construct the object areacceptable comprises: determining if the game environment comprisesmultiple game phases; determining which game phase the first playercharacter was interacting in when the blueprint was submitted forregistration; and determining if the materials used to construct theobject exist in the game phase in which the first player character wasinteracting.
 5. The method of claim 2 further comprising: receiving arequest to purchase a blueprint for a registered game object from asecond player character; receiving payment for the blueprint from thesecond player character; and authorizing the second player character tobuild the object in the blueprint.
 6. The method of claim 5 wherein eachplayer character interacting in the game environment possesses one ormore skills, the method further comprising: determining the skillsrequired to build the object in the blueprint; determining whether thesecond player character possesses the required skills.
 7. The method ofclaim 6 further comprising only authorizing the player to build theobject if the second player character possesses the required skills. 8.The method of claim 6 further comprising, if the second player characterdoes not possess the required skills, identifying to the second playercharacter one or more other player characters who do possess therequired skills.
 9. The method of claim 5 further comprising determininga license fee to be paid to the first character by the second playercharacter.
 10. A method comprising: providing a video game environment;providing a virtual exchange configured to allow for the sale andpurchase of orders for game attributes; receiving requests for sales andpurchases of game attributes via the exchange from player charactersinteracting with the video game environment; and altering the playeraccounts of the player characters according to the sales and purchaseson the exchange.
 11. The method of claim 10 further comprising providinga plurality of exchange seats for purchase by the player characters. 12.The method of claim 11 further comprising: Receiving requests from otherplayer characters to remove a player character from an exchange seat;and removing the player character from an exchange seat.
 13. The methodof claim 10 further comprising: determining if a player character failsto fulfill a sale or purchase order; penalizing the player character ifthe player character has failed to fulfill a sale or purchase order. 14.The method of claim 13 wherein the penalty is preclusion from furthertransactions.
 15. The method of claim 10 further comprising: determiningthe authenticity of a game attribute that has been offered for sale onthe exchange; and if the game attribute is determined to be inauthentic,penalizing the player character who offered the game attribute for sale.16. The method of claim 10 further comprising determining a conversionrate for game attributes offered for sale on the exchange.
 17. Themethod of claim 10 wherein the exchange is configured to receive andmanage requests for sales and purchases of game attributes between twoor more game environments.
 18. The method of claim 17 wherein managingrequests comprises determining conversion rates between the two or moregame environments.
 19. A method comprising: providing a gameenvironment; monitoring the activity of player characters in the gameenvironment; offering an initial public offering (IPO) of the gameenvironment when the activity of the player characters reaches athreshold.
 20. The method of claim 19 further comprising: determiningthe value of all the assets collected by all of the player characters inthe game environment; determining a total value for the game environmentbased on the value of all the assets collected by all of the players inthe game environment; and determining a price point for shares in thegame environment based on the total value of the game environment.